Once In A Lifetime
by Georgy-Girl
Summary: Co-written with VictoriaEsme. A collection of one-shots about ZAX, based on OTP prompts. Please leave any prompts you have in the review section and we will endeavour to use them!
1. Did you miss me?

_**PROMPT** : Person A and B are cuddling, right in the middle of an intimate moment. Then the third wheel sits on the couch next to them, disturbing the moment._

* * *

"Max?" Zoe called out as she returned home from a long day at work. Once upon a time, her job at the Emergency Department was the only thing in her life she could rely on and then one day, Max walked through it's doors with his messy hair and slightly creased Porters t-shirt. At that moment, her whole life had changed. And his had too. Now shifts without him were long and tiring. There was no one to appear at her office door with coffee or slip a chocolate bar into her pocket in passing. Unused to relying on others for happiness, it pained Zoe to admit that she had missed him and looked forward to the next day when he too would share her shift.

"Here" Max replied softly, suddenly appearing in the living room doorway. Zoe gave a smile as he dropped to kiss her lips. Dropping her things to the floor and kicking off her heels, Zoe wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I missed you" he murmured, his lips dangerously close to her neck. Zoe felt a shiver run down her spine as she buried her face in his hair breathing in his comforting scent.

"Where is everyone?" Zoe asked curiously, leading Max back into the living room. She fell onto the sofa with a sigh, stretching out her tired feet. Max shrugged. They lived with his sister Robyn and best friend Lofty and Zoe was almost sure she'd never seen the house so quiet or so tidy. "Why is it so clean?" She giggled, curling into Max's side as he sat next to her. She hadn't had to move Robyn's usual pile of trashy magazines to sit down and hadn't come across any of Lofty's clothes as they walked through the hallway.

"I missed you" Max repeated, his lips once again finding hers.

"Hmm, so it would appear." Zoe giggled, lifting her legs into his lap when he automatically began massaging them, aware she would have barely sat down all day.

"So?" Max began, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her. Zoe couldn't help the giggle that fell from her lips.

"So?" She repeated, unsure what he was getting at.

"We've established that I missed you." he murmured, his lips once again finding their way to her neck. Her giggle was silenced as she gave a soft moan. Max pulled away with a grin, aware of the effect he was having on her. "So the question is, did you miss me?" He asked, returning to where he massaged her feet. Zoe gave a long pause, unable to express how she'd longed for him to appear all day.

Finally, smiling, she offered, "Remember that time I went for a weeks training in London?"

Max nodded, smiling at what he knew was coming.

"And you remember how I showed you I missed you when I got home?" Zoe asked, pulling her feet away to tuck them under herself as she slipped closer to Max.

"I do." Max's smile widened, his hands reaching out to begin unbuttoning Zoe's shirt a little.

"Well, that's how much I missed you today." Zoe breathed into his ear, smiling as his kisses dropped from her jaw to her neck and then to her chest.

When Max heard Zoe's breath beginning to hitch, he pulled back just a little. "You missed me a week's worth in one shift?"

Zoe bit her lip as she nodded, eyes focused on Max's lips as he unconsciously licked them.

He pushed her shirt aside, fumbling as he tried to find a way inside her bra. Zoe gave a soft giggle, seamlessly un-clipping it through her shirt. Max gave a grin, his eyes wide in awe before his warm hand collided with her breast. Zoe gave a low moan, her head buried into his shoulder, her warm breath ticked his neck.

"Max." She murmured as he placed trailing kisses along her breastbone. She was just about to tug on his t-shirt indicating that she wanted to move upstairs when she felt the sofa dip.

"Hey Zo." Robyn greeted, sitting down next to them with a magazine in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. Zoe and Max jumped apart, her hand going straight to her chest in order to hold her shirt together.

"Hi." Zoe managed to stutter, fidgeting on the sofa as she tried to button her shirt without Robyn noticing. Max swung round so that he was looking away from a flustered Zoe, a hand delicately covering his lap. Zoe noticed this and desperately tried to suppress a giggle.

"Why did I find all my magazines in the kitchen?" Robyn asked, pointing her question directly at Max.

"I, uh-" He began, wishing he could force his brain back into action. At this, Zoe couldn't hold her laughter in any more and buried her head into his husband's shoulder. At her sudden touch Max jumped, giving a small squeal.

"Did you just squeal?!" Robyn asked with a laugh, but when she looked at her step-brother and took in his red cheeks and hand placement, her face paled. "Oh god. Were you two...on the couch? The communal couch?!"

Zoe just kept her face hidden, her amusement only evident by the shaking of her shoulders.

"No! As if!" Max replied. "I was just taking a break from cleaning up your mess in the laundry, actually."

"Well you'd better get back to it, then." Robyn replied hotly, sure they'd been up to something.

"Fine, I will!" Max responded as Zoe continued her smothered giggles.

"Go on, then." Robyn said when he didn't move a muscle.

Max hesitated for a moment and then stood up, the bulge in his pants still perfectly evident which made Zoe's laughter burst forth again.

"Sorry." An amused and giggling Zoe finally managed to offer a cross Robyn before she rushed after her husband, determined to finish what she'd started.


	2. Firsts

A/N- For future reference, we will not be writing any sexual prompts. It's difficult to write at the best of times, but with two people involved in writing it just gets awkward! Thank you for understanding xx

* * *

 _ **PROMPT:**_ _Imagine your OTP walking their child to their first day of school._

 _Bonus: Person A is emotional while waving goodbye to the kid so Person B engulfs them in a bear hug to cheer them up._

* * *

When Zoe's alarm went off that morning she silenced it with an angry mutter, almost sure she'd only just fallen asleep. She rolled over and attempted to close her eyes once more but the alarm sounded again, reminding her she needed to get up. Grabbing her phone, she hurled it at the nearest wall with a angry groan.

Max suppressed a smile as he climbed out of bed. Picking up her phone from the floor, he silenced the alarm before placing it back on the bedside cabinet. Dropping a kiss to Zoe's head he whispered a soft 'good morning sunshine'. She gave a disgruntled mutter. "You go and get a long shower and I'll wake Ella." he told her softly. Before she had a chance to thank him, Max had walked from the room whistling a cheery tune.

In the end Max hadn't needed to wake Ella because when he'd entered his four year old daughter's bedroom, she was bouncing on the bed with excitement.

"Someone's excited!" He pointed out with a giggle, outstretching his arms to lift the little girl down from the bed and onto his hip.

"Morning Daddy." Ella greeted, leaning forward to kiss his cheek. "I'm going to school today!"

"Alright, alright!" Max teased, carrying her through the apartment and towards the kitchen. "I don't need any more reminders that my little princess is all grown up!" Ella gave a delighted giggle as Max placed her at the kitchen table.

"When can I put on my uniform?" She asked, eager to get going and see all her friends she'd met on the induction day. Much like Max, Ella was a social butterfly and had the ability to befriend almost anyone. She also had her father's charm and only had to smile at people before they fell at her feet.

"Soon." Max assured her with a grin. "You won't look smart if you spill your coco pops down your jumper, so breakfast first." he told her, placing a bowl of cereal in front of the girl. She ate hungrily, singing along to the merry tune that her father whistled as he made her packed lunch.

"Mummy!" Ella greeted happily as Zoe walked into the room, finally ready.

"Morning El." Zoe replied softly, bending down to kiss her daughter's cheek. Max handed his wife a coffee and a chocolate croissant.

"Did you wake up inside out?" Ella asked, knowing her mum only had chocolate for breakfast on the mornings she felt particularly grumpy. Max laughed at her choice of wording as Zoe gave a grumble.

"Leave your mum alone El." Max told her with a grin. "You know she's not a morning person," he added with a laugh. Ella giggled happily, swinging her legs on the chair.

"Can you help me put my uniform on now?" She asked hopefully, looking at her mother. Zoe forced a smile, extending a hand to her daughter. "And put my hair in plaits too?"

"Of course" Zoe replied softly. "Go and sit at my dressing table, I'll be right behind you." she added gently. Ella skipped off with a smile.

Max approached Zoe, snaking an arm around her waist. Pressing a kiss into her neck he gave a soft smile. "She'll be okay, you know?" He told her gently. Zoe gave a brief nod.

"I know." She replied, her voice weak.

"Give her an hour and she'll be the most popular girl in the class. She'll probably even have the teacher wrapped around her little finger." He told her with a smile, his head resting on her shoulder.

"I know." Zoe repeated "She's just like you," she added managing a small smile. If she was honest, Zoe knew Ella was going to be just fine, but the thought of being parted from the little girl all day, every day was almost too much for her to handle and would certainly take a lot of getting used to. Once upon a time, work was the main priority in Zoe Hanna's life and now she was rearranging her every day to drop off and pick up her daughter from school.

Zoe stood in Max's embrace for a long while as he whispered soothing comfort in her ear.

"Come on." he murmured, pushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "The princess will be waiting." he added with a smile. As if on cue Ella called a loud "Mummy!" from the bedroom. With a sigh and an encouraging smile from Max she followed the sound of her daughter's excited singing.

...

"Walk slower princess!" Max teased, being dragged from the house by his excitable four year old daughter. Ella's hair was now in neat French plaits and a Doc McStuffins backpack sat proudly on her back. Little Ella tugged at her father's hand in excitement.

"I don't want to be late." Ella told him, bundling her matching lunch box off on her father as she slipped a hand into her mother's.

"You won't be." Max assured her as she began skipping by her mothers side. "We've already left half an hour early!"

Zoe groaned at this revelation and favoured Max with a glare. "Why?" She asked grumpily, making Ella giggle.

"Because he thinks you might try and hold onto me for ages." Ella supplied, for she had heard her father telling her Aunty Robyn that Zoe had been in bits on induction day. "And he thinks you will cry and get snotty. He has tissues in his pocket..is that why you didn't put on make up?"

"You hear too much for your own good, miss Ella." Max was unable to suppress a smile and Ella grinned back happily at him.

...

When they arrived at the school gates, Zoe was unsure of what to do. Ella quickly ran off for she already knew where her classroom was and was determined to get a good seat on the carpet. Max laughed and followed her, pulling Zoe reluctantly behind him.

"She is so confident," Max mused, watching her approach all the other children in turn as they entered the classroom.

"Because she's yours!" Zoe pointed out begrudgingly. "We had no chance of having a quiet child when she's half you."

"Nice," Max replied drly, helping Ella to put her backpack on the peg with her name above it. "Right cheeky chops, are you ready for us to go?" He asked, bending down to their little girl. Ella's smile wavered for a brief moment before she have a happy grin, already eyeing up another girl who smiled shyly.

"You have a good day won't you?" Zoe told her softly, placing a kiss on her cheek. Ella nodded, wiping her cheek where her mother had kissed her with a grumble. Max thought back to when she'd started nursery and she'd been deemed a 'threenager' within the first week by all the nursery staff. "I can't wait to see you later." Zoe added, tidying a stray piece of her daughter's hair. "I love you."

"Love you." Ella replied, dancing from foot to foot as she was eager to run towards the toys. She looked towards her dad waiting for a similar speech but giggled wildly when she saw the tears in his eyes. "You've got a snotty nose!" she pointed out with a gleeful smile.

Zoe turned to look at her husband just in time to witness him blinking away the tears furiously and a smile pulled at her lips. "Give your daddy a goodbye hug and then we had better go."

Ella hugged Max fiercely and then patted his hand. "It's ok, you can come and see me if you get too sad." She assured him as he had done countless times after she'd had a nightmare.

Max offered a watery smile, ruffling his daughter's hair before allowing Zoe to lead him from the room. Once outside, Max's tears began to fall and he scrubbed at his face with his sleeve. "I think I have an allergy."

Zoe pulled Max into a hug, giggling softly at his tears.

"You big softie." she whispered, giving her own watery smile as she brushed a thumb along his cheeks.

"She looked so grown up." Max offered, looking back through the classroom window. Ella was sat on the carpet surrounded by new friends as they met the class hamster. "I just kept thinking about the day she was born and she was so small." Ella had been born prematurely and she'd spent the early part of her life in neonatal care. Now wise beyond her age and perfectly developed, Max was finding it hard to believe the same small baby was now the grown up girl attending her first day of school.

"She's going to be fine," Zoe reassured him as they walked home. The school was only a short walk from their apartment and they still had an hour before they had to be at work. Connie had given them the morning off to make the most of their time with Ella. Ella would then attend an after school club until 6 when they would pick her up. Used to her parents busy schedules and different shift patters, she took it all in her stride.

"We need another one." Max stated as they walked passed the laughed. "Then we'd have another four years of having someone at home all the time."

"And when that child went to school would we have to have another?" She asked, amusement danced in her eyes as Max gave a nod. "We're too old!" She whined.

"Excuse me!" He teased, reminding her of their age gap.

"Okay, okay!" she corrected herself with a laugh. "I'm too old. I barely have the energy to keep up with Ella, let alone a baby AND Ella." Max didn't respond but have her a hopeful smile. "No." she repeated, laughing when he tried to change her mind with wide eyes and sticking out his bottom lip.

"No!" Zoe responded, pushing her husband away gently. Her eyes however were soon drawn to a mother pushing a pram past them, the baby babbling happily. When she turned her head to tell Max no again, the grin he was wearing seemed to change her mind and she leant a little closer to whisper "Well, it is fun trying."

"We still have an hour before we're due at work." Max responded, leaning into zoe, his hand snaking inside her unbuttoned jacket to caress her bum.

"Race you!" Zoe replied with a grin, breaking from his hold as they reached the front door of their apartment block.


	3. Christmas Party Blues

_**PROMPT:** Every year a party is held, and your OTP is always there. One year, Person A is away for whatever reason. They promised they'd be back for the party, but come party time, they're still not home. Everyone else at the party encourages Person B to let it go and have fun, but Person B insists that Person A is coming._

 _Happy Ending: Halfway through the party, just when all hope seems lost, Person A does show up. Happy reunions ensue._

 _Unhappy Ending: Person A shows up, but it's too late. The party's over, and everyone has gone home._

 _Semi-Happy Ending: Person A shows up, but it's too late. The party's over, and everyone has gone home…except Person B is still there, waiting for Person A. They reunite._

* * *

Max was down in the dumps. For the first time in his life, he'd told a woman he loved her, and she'd just walked away. She'd been gone for weeks now with no contact, not even a message or an email to say if she'd be back.

Max was brooding over this when he thought he heard someone mention her name. Zoe. Slowing his pace, Max hovered outside the staffroom. A moment later, he heard it again. They're talking about Zoe.

Glancing up, Max gave the passing nurse a distracted smile before slipping into the staffroom, pretending to look for his key and then something in his locker as Charlie talked to Tess.

"She said she'll be back in time for the staff party tomorrow night, but I have my doubts." Charlie told his friend, nursing a cup of tea in his cold hands.

"Well, she hasn't missed one yet. Remember that year she had a horrendous cold and still showed up. Everyone else's christmas' were spent sick, but she was pleased as punch with her secret santa gift." Tess replied with a laugh.

"I'd forgotten about that! I don't think I've ever seen someone knock back so much eggnog." Charlie smiled before lapsing into silence.

Max grinned into his locker, slamming it with triumph as he spun around, intending to get back to work. When Tess and Charlie looked up, he indicated to the set of lockers. "Never shut easily, those things."

They glanced at one another, then back at Max before returning to their tea as Max walked out with a whistle.

 **...**

Max walked around work that day with a spring in his step, leaving a carefree whistle in his wake. Despite his efforts to contact her, Max hadn't heard from Zoe since she'd left and whilst he longed for her to return, he hoped she was happy. She hadn't been and Max had come to realise that it was going to take more than loving her to change that.

"You're looking happy!" Lofty observed as he watched his friend get ready for the party. Max just replied with a grin, continuing to work the gel into his hair that he hadn't touched since Zoe had left. He'd even ironed a new shirt wanting to look his best and knowing that she'd look stunning, regardless of what she wore.

When Max arrived at the venue ready for the ED staff Christmas party it was still fairly early.

"We're going to be the first people there." Robyn moaned as she tottered behind Max in her heels.

"Well, we should make the most of it!" Max replied simply, linking his arm with her sister's. Max had wanted to be early knowing that Zoe liked to make the most of every opportunity with both free food and alcohol. He tentatively pushed the door and immediately scanned the room. It didn't take long however because aside from Tess, Charlie and Big Mac, no one had arrived yet. With a sigh Max ordered a round of drinks and settled at the bar waiting patiently.

Robyn watched her step-brother sit in silence for two hours, eyes pinned to the door, before she finally sat next to him. "Max, she's not coming."

"She is." Max replied, eyes not moving.

"Don't you think that if she was coming, she would have sent you a message at least?" Late one night after too many beers, Max had admitted to Robyn his feelings for Zoe. At first she'd laughed, because the Max she knew never fell for the women he dated, but as he'd grown more and more morose over the last few weeks, she'd begun to realise it really was love.

"...She's probably wanted to surprise me." Max offered before finally glancing up at the red head. "Go on, you don't have to hang around me all night. Besides, I think that guy over there wants to catch you alone so he can talk to you."

Robyn glanced at the man she'd been eyeing all night, and when she found he was looking at her too, she blushed. "Well, don't sit here all night moping. If she is coming, do you think she'd appreciate a sad sack and a bunch of drunks being her welcoming committee?"

Max considered his sister's sentiment before nodding. Scanning the room he spotted Lofty playing a game of darts. Picking up his drink and walking towards them, he was quickly drawn into the game, desperately trying to enjoy himself.

"Are you okay?" Charlie asked gently, hovering around Max as he watched the young man keep his eyes firmly on the door no less than an hour later.

"Me?" Max asked, his voice distant. "I'm fine." he replied forcing a smile.

"Are you waiting for someone?" Charlie asked as the porters eyes fell on the door once more. Max gave a shrug.

"I thought I was but I'm not so sure anymore." Max replied quietly, taking a swig of his whiskey.

"Anyone I know?"

Max gave a wry smile before offering "I don't think it would matter if you did because she's clearly not coming." Charlie gave his friend a sad smile and a sympathetic pat on the back, deciding not to pry any further. Giving the nurse a grateful smile Max finished his whiskey and returned to his place at the bar, his eyes fixated on the door.

He stayed there most of the night, drinking more and more, his eyes growing red and heavy as others partied around him. When it came time for secret santa, he hung back, not even acknowledging his own present until Tess pushed it into his hands.

"I know we aren't supposed to say, but this one is from me." She offered.

"Thanks." Max slurred, and then feeling sorry for himself added. "I'll open it on Christmas, which I am spending alone."

"What about Robyn and Lofty?" She asked wirh a frown.

"Lofty is working and Robyn is going to her mum's. Her mum hates me because I put superglue inside her hat before we went on holiday once. That was not a good holiday." He reminisced.

"If you find yourself alone, come to mine, but I think you might find yourself with plans. Enjoy the present, i had inspired help." Tess smiled, rubbbing Max's arm before walking away.

Max eyed the present suspiciously before placing it on the bar and ordering himself another drink. He debated going home, almost sure Zoe wouldn't be coming now. The number of people at the party had started to dwindle with everyone deciding to return home to their children and loved ones. This only made Max's pain more prominent as he longed for Zoe.

Another drink later Max looked up to find he was now alone, the party long over. With a heavy heart he pulled the present from the bar, turning it over in his hands before replacing it back on the bar with a sigh. It was a warm and familiar kiss on his cheek that made him look up. Drunk and tired the porter was almost sure he was dreaming when he saw Zoe stood by his side, a nervous but lopsided grin playing on her lips.

"I wondered where you'd got to." Zoe whispered, her eyed focused on the gift. Max, unable to tear his eyes from her, gave a grin.

"You came." he managed to reply, quickly sobering as he took in her appearance. As he thought, she looked as beautiful as ever and if he were honest, he might even say she had got more beautiful, if that were even possible.

"You didn't." she replied, causing Max to frown. Taking the present from the bar, she pushed it into his hands. He looked at her curiously, his heart still hammering against his chest as the woman he loved stood in front of him for the first time in weeks.

"Zoe, I-" he attempted to say but Zoe quickly cut him off.

"Open it." she told him softly, tugging at the ribbon. It was with wide eyes and a curious frown that he carefully pulled the paper from the gift. When he held up a key, too drunk to piece it all together Zoe gave a quiet giggle.

"I was waiting for you," she told him softly. "You didn't come."

"I thought it was from Tess, I didn't know." he replied, suddenly feeling guilty. He'd sat there all night waiting for her, feeling stupid and she had done the same.

"It's okay." Zoe replied offering a smile. They lulled into a quiet silence, unsure of what to say.

"You're back." Max supplied suddenly, a grin now on his lips. Zoe gave a soft giggle. "You're actually back." he repeated, the whiskey wearing off as she gave a nod. Extending her arm she ran a hand down his upper arm until it rested on his own hand.

"I'm back." she repeated softly.

"I missed you." he whispered. The sincerity in his voice was almost too much for her to handle. Zoe gave a brief nod, for she had missed him too, more than words could explain.

"I know." she managed to reply, her voice constricted against the tears. Max held up the key, a soft smile on his lips. "For my apartment," Zoe supplied. "I was hoping you'd like to spend Christmas with me."

Max's jaw dropped slightly as Tess' earlier words began to make sense.

"Pinch me, I'm dreaming." Max teased, his eyes wide with wonder. Instead Zoe leant forward and softly kissed his lips, her forehead resting against his when she pulled away.

"Not dreaming," she confirmed, her voice barely a whisper. He grinned. "Merry Christmas, Max."

"Merry Christmas Zo." he managed to reply before leaning in to kiss her once more, the key clasped tightly in his hand.


	4. Pillow Forts

_**PROMPT:**_ _Imagine your OTP sleeping in a giant nest of blankets and pillows with their child(ren) nestled between them._

* * *

It was 6am and a storm was lashing lashing at the windows. Unable to sleep with all the noise, Zoe was already up sorting breakfast and packed lunches. Though all the lights were on, a strange grey glow from the windows was already making the morning a particularly depressing one. She considered getting back into bed and snuggling into her husband, but soon realised it would just make getting up again even more difficult. Instead, she turned on the kettle and began making herself a cup of coffee.

"Can you turn off the storm, I can't sleep." came a sleepy voice suddenly.

Turning, Zoe gave a slight smile at the sight of her daughter, hair sticking up at odd angles and pyjama sleeves hanging long past her hands, making her look even smaller. "I wish I could, sweetheart. Go and sleep in my spot, your father's snoring will no doubt block out the storm."

Millie gave a sleepy giggle and stumbled into the main bedroom, climbing in next to her father.

Picking up the book she had been trying to read for weeks, Zoe then picked up her coffee and made her way towards the lounge room where she sat down and pulled a warm blanket over her body.

"Mummy, it's too noisy to sleep." Came another grumble a few minutes later. Millie's twin sister stood in the doorway with a frown. Maddie was the complete opposite of Millie, much more like Zoe in her younger years with her seriousness, and so unlike Millie with her easy giggles.

Instead of telling her to join Max, for she knew the girl would wake him, Zoe reached out a hand and allowed the girl onto her lap, letting her cuddle as she covered them both with the blanket.

Just as everyone in the house was beginning to drift off during a quiet period of the storm, a loud cry could be heard from the nursery. It was going to be one of those days.

...

A short while later Zoe found herself pacing the nursery with a distraught baby Charlie whose screams grew louder as the winds grew.

"You're okay sweetheart," She attempted to soothe but the baby boy continued to cry. "How about we go and wake your sisters?" Zoe asked, bouncing the eight month old on her hip. At this, Charlie seemed to give a gurgle instead of a cry. She walked through to their bedroom, placing Charlie inbetween Millie and Max. His wriggling woke Max instantly and he rolled over with a lopsided grin.

"What are you doing up already?" Max asked, pulling Zoe down on the bed to sit beside him. Distressed at the sudden lack of attention, Charlie gave a cry and Max sat up, placing his son in his lap.

"Couldn't sleep." Zoe offered, nodding her head outside to where the rain continued to lash against the windows.

"Mummy, please I am trying to sleep." Mille scolded, sitting up and rubbing her tired eyes. Max gave a laugh and Millie gave a delighted giggle.

"Come on, you need to get ready for school." Zoe told her, reaching forward to sort out Charlie's dishevelled onesie. "Baby or munchkins?" Zoe asked.

Max thought for a while before deciding "munchkins". Zoe already looked tired and he was determined to give her some respite before work by focusing on getting the twins ready for school. Zoe nodded taking Charlie from his arms.

"Millie, go and wake Maddie." Max told her, bundling the little girl out of bed who protested loudly.

"But Daddy..." She began.

Max cut her off. "But Daddy nothing," he replied. "If you both behave, I'll let you wear your new Princess wellies to school." he added. With this Millie clambered out of bed and trotted off to find her sister with a grin.

"You know they'll come home with one princess wellie and one random one belonging to another kid, right?" Zoe asked sceptically, bouncing Charlie who cried at a clap of thunder. Before Max could reply the sound of bickering came from the living room. He gave a deep sigh before pushing himself up.

"Don't look at me like that, you chose the munchkins." she replied with a giggle, taking Charlie back through to the nursery on her hip with a satisfied smile.

As Zoe sat in the nursery armchair cuddling with Charlie, she listened to the usual morning arguments about what to have for breakfast with a smile. She'd wanted this for so long, and though it could be exhausting at times, she loved every minute of it.

"Zo," Max suddenly stuck his head around the door. "Can we do a pillow fort this evening? Girls don't want to go out in the storm because apparently Maddie heard that someone got struck by lightening yesterday, so I said if they go we will do a fort."

Zoe groaned. The pillow and blanket fort always involved a late night, a lot of whispering and giggling and worst of all, a lot of mess. "You're cleaning up this time."

"Yes, boss. By the way, Dylan called to say his boat has flooded again, so he's dropping Dervla off here, and he said he'll take your shift at work today so he doesn't have to hang around with the workmen." Max offered, holding a piece of buttered toast to Zoe's lips before leaving the room.

Biting into it, Zoe chewed for a minute, enjoying the warmth before she gave a smile. "I have an idea, Charlie, and I think you're going to like it."

...

"Bye Mum, see you later!" Millie smiled, leaning up to kiss her mother who was trying to feed Charlie some porridge.

"Bye darlings" Zoe replied, bending down to kiss a shy Maddie who was happy to hang by the front door, ready to leave. Max kissed Zoe himself, promising to stay safe in the storm before rounding up the girls and bundling into them into the car.

An hour later, Zoe found herself in town, huddled up against the elements. Charlie was in his stroller looking warm and cosy in a snowsuit and several blankets. The plastic sheeting kept him dry from the relentless rain and although Zoe was drenched, the sight of her baby boy both warm and cosy was enough to make her smile. As long as he was safe, she didn't mind.

Zoe darted from shop to shop heading firstly to a baby boutique. She'd had her eye on a pastel cotton indoor teepee for the girls. She'd knew they'd love to play make believe with it and it would be perfect for their pillow fort. She'd been intending to buy in for their birthday but now seemed like the perfect opportunity. After that, she'd been to the supermarket to buy pizzas, treats, DVDs and some fairy lights to hand along their fort. She also couldn't resist a sweet pair of Disney dungarees that she'd seen for Charlie.

When she'd returned home she'd put Charlie on his playmat and deposited her new purchases in the middle of the living room floor.

"Does Charlie want to help Mummy build a fort for the girlies?" She asked, tickling his tummy. Charlie gave a delighted squeal.

He watched ger with studied fascination, giggling every so often and usually when something went wrong. Just as she finished puttin together the teepee and Charlie had finally fallen asleep, the phone rang. Scrambling to her feet with an anxious eye on Charlie, Zoe grabbed the phone. "What?"

"Nice to talk to you, too. Can I bring Dervla over now? I'm afraid she's a little damp." Dylan sighed.

"You're outside the door already, aren't you?" Zoe asked.

"I am." Dylan confirmed.

With a sigh of her own, Zoe grabbed a towel and then went to the door to push the towel into Dylans hands. "Dry her before she comes in."

"Hello Dylan, nice to see you, terrible storm we are having. You're turning in to me, you know." Dylan observed.

"Sorry. I'm just trying to organise a pillow fort and I forgot how much I hate putting things together. How is your boat."

"Better than you teepee." Dylan pointed to the collapsed pile of material. "I'll put that together if you dry Dervla. Deal?"

"...Deal."

...

"Don't forget you said we can have a pillow fort tonight!" Millie greeted her father by reminding him and then pushing her school bag into his hands.

"I got first in spelling."Maddie told him quietly, smiling happily when Max began cheering.

Max took the girls home, regretting his decision to volunteer to collect them as they jumped in every puddle and then clambered into the car, damp and muddy.

"I think you'll both be having a bath before the pillow fort!" Max observed, pulling away from the school gates. Millie gave a grumble, eager to start building her den and Maddie hid a smile, the warm water and bubbles of a bath sounding very inviting to her cold body. Maddie hated being dirty whereas Millie relished in any opportunity to make a mess. They were so different in many respects and yet very similar at the same time.

When they arrived home Millie burst through the door of the apartment, not bothering to kick off her wellies. Maddie followed quietly behind, taking her shoes off and lining them up at the door.

"Mummy!" Millie squealed. Their teepee had been set up, surrounded by pillows, duvets, fairy lights, snacks and the television with a new stack of films lay beside it. Charlie was centred in the middle of the fort, munching happily on a biscuit. Maddie gave a squeal to see Dervla sat next to their little brother and rushed towards him. Millie followed it suit, only stopping to jump in the pile of pillows.

"This looks amazing." Max greeted, swooping to kiss Zoe who sat on the sofa, exhausted from her escapades.

"I know," Zoe replied with a grin. "Dylan helped." she added with a secretive whisper. Max gave a laugh.

"Right, I know two girls who need a bath before we snuggle up!" Max called out. Millie gave another audible groan but Maddie gave a cheer.

"Well we're making our own pizzas in less than an hour, so we'd better hurry up." Zoe responded, causing another excited squeal from the girls. As they stood they charged towards their mother, engulfing her in a warm hug.

"Thank you mummy!" They chorused. Zoe kissed their heads in turn.

"You're very welcome my darlings." she replied. Standing to her feet, Zoe picked up Charlie before ushering the girls into the bathroom ready for an early bath and their pyjamas. The storm still howled against the windows and Max felt so grateful to be in the warm with the most wonderful family. "Now, what happened in your spelling tests?" Zoe asked as she ran the bath water. She delighted in hearing all about their days, encouraging a quiet yet studious Maddie and calming an excitable Millie. Charlie, being looked after in the corner of the bath by Max, gave an excitable splash of water.

When the water hit Max in the face, both girls went quiet for a moment then burst into giggles, Zoe soon following suit.

"It's not funny." Grumbled Max, bubbles still dripping from his nose.

"It is a bit." Zoe replied with a smile, reaching out to wipe them away. "And it serves you right for always doing it to me." When Zoe poked her tongue out, the girls gave another giggle, knowing it was going to be a fun night.

...

Two hours later, the girls were full of pizza and were now reclining in their pillow fort, both snuggled up on either side of their mother. As she never usually joined in with the pillow forts, Max had been forgotten in the corner in favour of Zoe, who was enjoying the attention. Charlie had given a wail when Max tried to put him to bed, so his cot was set up in the living room, but Max had soon taken him out again for cuddles.

"Another film please mummy!" Millie grinned as the end credits of Cinderella rolled. Zoe gave a smile looking at Max who was almost asleep with Charlie in his arms.

"One more," Zoe offered. "And then bed, remember you have school tomorrow." she reminded them. Millie gave a grin and Maddie gave a slight smile. "Pick a film and no arguing. I'm going to put your little brother to bed."

Zoe clambered from the warm of the pillow fort and cuddled up to Max, taking Charlie in her arms.

"Time for sleep little man," she whispered, rocking the already sleepy baby. "Have you given him a bottle?" she asked looking at Max who nodded. It took a short lullaby and a familiar cuddle with his mother for Charlie to fall asleep. She stared down at him for a long while just wondering how she got so lucky.

"Mummy you're missing the film!" Maddie called from where Sleeping Beauty had just started.

"I'm coming!" she replied with an exasperated laugh. Putting Charlie into his cot she kissed him goodnight before returning to the fort. "Girls," she called, cuddling up in between them. "Can we make room for Daddy? He looks a bit lonely." she asked, looking over at Max who now sat alone. Max stuck out his bottom lip for effect and the girls gave a delighted giggle.

"Come and sit with me daddy!" Maddie grinned, budging over to create more room in-between her and Zoe. Maddie was very aware of other's feelings and hated the idea of Max feeling left out. Max clambered in beside them, snuggling up with a smile.

"Thank you Mads." he replied, kissing the top of her hair. She replied with a shush, once again concentrating on the film.

Max turned and dropped a kiss to Zoe's hair and they smiled at one another for a moment before a frowning face appeared between them. "You're not going to kiss, are you?"

"We might," Max supplied, causing the girls to groan. They had recently decided that having parents who were affectionate with each other was the height of embarrassment, and when Zoe turned her head to give Max a kiss, a blanket was promptly thrown over their heads.

Smiling at his wife in the dark, Max captured her lips again before whispering in her ear, "I love you."

"Love you more." Zoe replied, resting her head on Max's shoulder.

...

Zoe awoke as the credits rolled and music began to blare. Lifting her head, she noted with a smile that everyone else was fast asleep, Maddie cuddled into her father's side, and Millie with an arm resting on Zoe's middle. As she turned off the tv, she contemplated waking everyone, but soon thought better of it. Instead, she rested her head back on Max's shoulder with a yawn and shut her eyes once more.

That night, Zoe fell asleep with a smile on her lips.


	5. Sneezing

_**PROMPT:** Please could you do one where Max is poorly but being stubborn. Eventually lets Zoe check him over and takes him home to look after him! _

* * *

Max woke feeling like his head was being run over by a tractor and when he tried to swallow he found his throat was like sandpaper. Giving a groan, he rolled over to silence the alarm before turning back and outstretching an arm to Zoe. Finding the other side of the bed both cold and empty, Max gave a frown.

"Zo?" He called out but his voice came out no more than a strangled whisper and was followed by several sneezes. "Zoe?" He tried again. He was answered by the sound of the toilet flushing and a pale looking Zoe emerging from the bathroom. He was instantly on his feet, despite the way his head pounded, and embraced her in a long hug. "You okay? He asked softly, a hand finding it's way to her middle. Zoe gave a soft nod, not quite trusting herself to talk without being sick again.

Zoe & Max had recently found out they were pregnant with their first child and it had come as a shock to them both. They'd been using fertility treatments for over a year with little luck and were just about to give up when they received a positive result. It was the morning sickness that got her down and Max did everything in his ability to make her feel better. He held her for a long moment, rubbing soothing circles into her back.

"Okay?" He repeated softly.

This time Zoe gave a gentle "much better," and her husband gave a smile. He was about to send her to the shower whilst he make breakfast when a sneezing fit overtook.

Zoe giggled in amusement as he sneezed several times before supplying a snotty "I'm fine."

"You're ill." she pointed out attempting to outstretch a hand to take his temperature. Max shrugged her off.

"I'm fine," he repeated, forcing a smile although the pounding in his head was now becoming almost impossible to ignore. "Get ready for work and I'll make a start on breakfast," he told her with a smile. Zoe although unsure disappeared into the bathroom with a nod, knowing if they didn't get going soon they'd never make it on time and Connie certainly didn't need any more reasons to find fault with them both.

An hour later they were walking in to work, Zoe chatting happily to Robyn about what colour they were going to paint the nursery. Her morning sickness seemed to attack as soon as she woke, but was usually gone again by the time they got to work. It would sometimes reappear in the early afternoon, but in the mean time, Zoe always felt on top of her game, and usually Max enjoyed having this Zoe around, but this morning his head was still pounding and her voice seemed to be reverberating around his skull.

"What do you think, Max?" Robyn pushed the paint samples into his hands. He tried to focus on them, but his head was swimming.

"I like the yellow." He finally mumbled, giving a sniff as his nose began to tickle.

"But which yellow? I like the honeysuckle one, but Zoe likes the lighter one." Robyn offered, oblivious to the state Max was in as he coughed and sneezed at the same time.

Zoe, however, gave another frown and once more lifted her hand to feel for a temperature, only to be shrugged off by Max again. Instead, she linked her arms in his and dropped a kiss to his cheek, not surprise by the warmth he was producing. "Are you sure you should be here today?"

"I'm fine." Max repeated although his voice was glum. He wanted nothing more than to be able to go back to bed and sleep until he felt better but during this pregnancy, he felt he had a duty to Zoe. And that included being brave when he felt ill.

"Max," Zoe warned. He shrugged, silently praying that the paracetamol he'd taken whilst Zoe was getting ready would kick in. "Please let me check you over?" She asked, her voice soft. She was worried about his temperature and wished he'd just let her look after him for once.

"Honestly Zo, it's just a cold." he tried to tell her, sneezing once more. "Right, patients to move!" he added, pushing himself foreword. He almost had to cajole his legs into moving, sure they'd turned into lead.

"Max!" Zoe protested once more. He gave a harsh cough as he walked away but didn't turn back, not wanting Zoe to worry or fuss.

"I'll bring you a coffee later," he called back. "Don't work too hard!" He added but the end of his sentence was lost to another coughing fit. With a worried frown Zoe walked towards her office.

When Max finally arrived with her coffee an hour later it was with a glum expression and self pitying look in his eye. As his illness progressed Max was forced to admit that he felt awful.

"You look..." Zoe paused, unsure of how to finish her sentence when he appeared in the doorway of her office. She grinned, remembering a conversation they'd had whilst they were dating. "Terrible."

"Thanks," Max muttered falling onto the sofa with breathless splutter. "How are you?" He managed to ask, his voice hoarse against his blocked nose.

"Don't worry about me." she replied with a smile. In all honestly, other than the bouts of sickness, Zoe felt on top of the world. She felt better than she'd ever done in her life and despite it being so early on in her pregnancy, everyone told her she looked blooming. She felt it too. "Please let me check you over?" She tried once more moving from her office chair to the sofa next to Max.

"I'm fine." Max replied once more, this time with less conviction.

After a short pause, Zoe tried another tactic. "Well, I guess if me and your baby get whatever you've got, we'll be fine, too."

Max have a sigh, resting his head on the back of the sofa. "Fine, but not you. Another doctor."

Zoe reached out to squeeze his hand. "I'll get Dylan, I won't be a minute." She rushed from the room, aware Max could easily change his mind. "Dylan! Will you come and check Max? He's not feeling well."

Dylan raised his eyebrows, putting down the file he was holding. "And you can't check him over? There's a stethoscope around your neck which I thought meant you were a doctor?"

Zoe smiled and rolled her eyes before reaching out to take his hand, tugging him towards the office. "Please. He doesn't want me to do it, but I want him to go home."

Dylan found this new Zoe impossible to resist. She always seemed to have a smile on her face, and more than once she'd given him a spontaneous hug. While he'd never admit it, he did appreciate these hugs. "Fine, but if I get sick, you can cover my shifts."

"You never get sick!" Zoe responded, pushing him into her office.

Half an hour later Max had been diagnosed with a simple cold and had been told to go home and rest. Reluctant to leave Zoe, he remained on the sofa in her office.

"I don't need to go home." he insisted. Zoe gave a sigh as he descended into another coughing fit.

"I will look after her!" Dylan replied, putting his stethoscope back around his neck as he stood. "Not that she needs looking after," he added with a mutter.

"I'll stay here in the office." Max concluded, kicking off his shoes in an attempt to get comfortable. Dylan rolled his eyes, aware Max would not leave without Zoe.

"I'll be fine." Zoe offered, attempting to concentrate on her paperwork. Max gave a sneeze and Dylan rolled his eyes once more.

"I'll cover for you." Dylan suddenly offered, his demeanour begrudging. Zoe frowned, looking up from the patient notes she was reading through. "Come on, chop chop." he encouraged. Zoe didn't move.

"You don't need to cover for me, I'm no going anywhere."

"Look, we both know the boy won't go home without you. He clearly doesn't trust me to look after you despite the fact I've been a doctor nearly as long as he's been alive. And if he stays here, you won't go any work," Dylan replied mildly, his hands on his hips. Max nodded, wanting to spend his day cuddled up in bed with Zoe.

Zoe gave a sigh, looking between the men for a moment before she pushed her patient notes across to Dylan and stood up, grabbing her bag. "Fine."

"A thank you wouldn't go amiss!" Dylan called as Zoe pulled a yawning Max from the office.

...

Max gave a happy sigh. He was lying on the sofa, warm as toast under a duvet, the TV was on showing one of his favourite movies, and there was a mug of steaming tea on the table in front of him. His head was resting on a pillow, and that pillow rested on his wife's lap as she absently ran her fingers through his hair.

"Zoe?" Max asked, giving a slight cough.

"Mmm?" She asked, her fingers pausing as Max rolled onto his back to look up at her.

"We're having a baby." Max offered with a smile. This was currently his favourite sentence, and he'd say it several times a day. Zoe was sure, excluding all the unconscious ones, all the patients he came in to contact with knew her and Max were having a baby.

"We are." Zoe smiled back, her fingers brushing some hair from his forehead.

Max gave a sneeze and Zoe added "and you are poorly," as she bent down to kiss her husband's forehead. "Why don't you get some sleep?" She asked as he yawned.

"Not tired." he murmured, despite the fact his eyelids were growing heavy. He turned so he was facing Zoe's abdomen and pushed up her top slightly before placing a wet kiss on her middle. Zoe giggled placing her hand on the spot he had kissed, the other still tangled in his hair.

"Daddy is silly." she supplied, looking down at her still flat stomach. Max always talked to the baby and Zoe was often reluctant feeling both shy and silly doing so. Today however, she was looking after Max and she knew he would get a kick out of it. "Daddy always looks after us, doesn't he sweet baby?" She saw Max give a smile. "But today you and I are looking after daddy," she continued. "He's a bit poorly but he'll be okay."

"Brave soldier, me." Max teased, reaching up to hold the hand that was in his hair.

"A brave soldier and the greatest man I have ever had the pleasure of meeting," Zoe whispered. "He's special, your dad." Zoe continued. "And you sweet baby are so very, very lucky to have him as a daddy."

She looked down to find Max's eyes closed and his breathing evening out. Placing a gentle kiss on his hand she whispered a soft "love you" before closing her own eyes.


	6. New Year, New York

_**PROMPT:** Imagine person A of your OTP, a huge fan of the holidays, is hurt badly before the holidays, so person B ends up decorating to cheer person A up._

* * *

Zoe had asked not to be interrupted, so it was with trepidation that Robyn knocked on the door. At her desk, Zoe gave a sigh and rubbed her temple for a moment before calling out, "Come in."

Robyn entered the room and gave a sniff. "Sorry to interrupt, but-"

When she gave another sniff, Zoe lifted her head and frowned at the tear stained woman in front of her. "What's the matter?"

"It's Max." Robyn managed.

Those two words made Zoe's world come to a standstill. They were the two words she'd dreaded most. "What's Max?" She finally managed.

Robyn motioned over her shoulder. "He's just been wheeled into resus. I don't know what happened or how bad it is, I was too scared to ask."

Zoe desperately wanted to stand, to run to resus, but she couldn't seem to make her limbs work. As they women remained silent, staring at one another, Dylan entered in a hurry.

"Zoe, Max has been brought in and he's asking for you."

Somehow, Zoe managed to stand then, and her short steps soon gave way to strides and then a jog as she made her way towards resus, her heart pounding.

When she saw him, her lips parted to make way for a heavy sob. Max lay in the middle of the hospital bed connected to several lines and monitors, surrounded by people. Zoe became aware of Connie shouting orders and desperately wished she could make sense of it all but she couldn't focus on anything except her husband.

It was Max's voice that eventually dragged Zoe from her trance.

"I'm okay." he told her adamantly but his voice was weak. Zoe was by his side in a second, her hand gripping his tightly.

"What happened?" She managed to ask, using her free hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks despite the fact they continued to fall.

"A patient." Max managed to reply. "I was trying to calm him down and..." Max trailed off, signalling to his injuries. Zoe didn't a chance to ask any more questions before Connie appeared, asking him about his level of pain. His answer was enough to make Zoe give another strangled sob.

"Okay, the leg is definitely broken," she heard Connie call out to the team. "And I think we might need to pin the opposing arm" she continued. Zoe's world seemed to stop dead, unable to comprehend her husband's level of pain and the bravery he was showing whilst she cried in front of him. Zoe wasn't aware of much else except a rush of people around her and then a pair of two strong hands on her upper arms. She blinked away another set of tears to find Dylan steering her out of resus.

"Max!" Zoe called out but Dylan silenced her with a warm, if not slightly awkward, hug.

"He will be okay. he's going to be okay. Come back to your office and sit down, they'll come and get us if they need us." Dylan walked her towards her office as she buried her face against him, oblivious to the stares they were receiving.

...

Ten minutes later, Connie entered Zoe's office to find her colleague pacing as she fiddled with her wedding ring. "Zoe?"

Her head snapped around and she rushed forward, unaware of or not caring about the streaks of make up down her cheeks. "Is he okay?"

"He's in surgery with a ruptured spleen, but he is going to be okay. Security have found the patient and handed him over to the police." Connie offered, hoping this might calm Zoe, but it seemed to have little effect as she began pacing again. "both his leg and his arm are broken, so he's going to need some time off, but I can organise time off for you as well."

Zoe nodded absently, barely taking the words in. "How long will he be in theatre?"

"He should be out by 1. He asked me to give you this."

When Connie held out a curly wurly, Zoe's tears began again

...

The time seemed to drag to an incomprehensible standard. Dylan only left Zoe's side once and that was to buy her lunch which she'd instantly pushed away.

When Connie returned to tell Zoe that Max was out of theatre, she'd burst into tears once more.

"He's going to be fine, you know?" Connie offered carefully, uncharacteristically holding her arms out to her colleague who gratefully accepted her hug. Zoe gave a nod in between her sniffles.

"I just-" Zoe began, sniffing once more. "I just really love him" she managed to whisper. Over her head, Connie and Dylan exchanged a smile.

...

Max woke feeling like he had been run over by a tractor, several times. Giving a groan he tried to roll over but was stopped by the pain in both his arm and leg.

"Hey, you're okay," Zoe murmured. She'd fallen asleep in the armchair by his bed whilst she waited for him to come round. Rubbing her tired eyes she sat forward, clutching his free hand in her own. "How are you feeling?" She asked softly, running a hand through his tousled hair.

"Awful." Max managed to reply, his throat dry. Zoe gave a sympathetic smile before helping him to have a drink which he gratefully accepted.

"I was so worried about you" Zoe told him honestly. Max gave her a smile, hoping to convince her that he was okay despite the fact he felt anything but.

"Fuck," he suddenly muttered.

"What?" Zoe asked, panicked that he was in pain.

"New York." he groaned, his heart sinking to the pit of his stomach. "We'll have to cancel". New Years Eve was in several days and they'd booked a trip to New York to see the new year in, in style. Max had been unbelievably excited about the event and had talked about very little else for the past few weeks.

"We can reschedule, we'll go once your better." Zoe reassured, running a hand over his hair to move it from his eyes.

"But I had so many plans." Max sighed, frustrated. He had planned this trip to make sure it was exactly what Zoe needed- relaxing, romantic and a lot of free shopping time.

"They can wait, Max, and I promise I will make New Year's spent with me at home just as perfect as a white new years eve in time square." Zoe reassured him, her eyes continually dropping to look at the graze on his chin before pulling her eyes away.

"I'm okay." Max managed to offer again when he saw tears welling in Zoe's eyes. When she nodded but tears still fell, he asked, "Did they tell you what saved me?"

Zoe shook her head, wiping at her eyes furiously. "That locket I bought you for christmas. If the clasp hadn't broken, the needle he used would have gone straight into my heart."

Zoe smiled, but the thought brought fresh tears to her eyes and she said fiercely. "Don't you ever, ever do this to me again!"

"I'll try not to." Max offered, his eyelids growing heavy again.

Leaning forward, Zoe dropped a kiss to his cheek and whispered in his ear, "Get some rest and dream of the perfect new year we're going to have, with so much romance you will be sick of the sight of me by January 2nd."

...

The hospital were reluctant to discharge Max in time for New Year but he was insistent. Zoe had plans, he told them. And so the day before New Years Eve, Max left the hospital bandaged, bruised but happy.

Zoe struggled to get Max into the apartment in his wheelchair and found it equally as hard to get him comfortable in their own bed.

"It's so good to be home" Max told her with a smile, nuzzling into her side as best he could with his arm and leg in bandage.

By the afternoon however Max was completely and utterly fed up. In the hospital he had constant visitors and people popped in on their break but here at the apartment it was just him and Zoe. Zoe, exhausted from spending every minute with him at the hospital had crashed out as soon as her head had hit the pillow and Max found himself bored.

Agitated and grumpy he prodded Zoe in the ribs. She gave a groan but didn't wake. He repeated his action, harder this time and Zoe's eyes flew open.

"What?" She snapped, instantly feeling guilty. "I'm so sorry" she added softly. "I didn't mean to fall asleep" Max gave a shrug.

"I'm bored," he told her honestly, his voice stiff. Zoe gave a frown.

"I thought you were looking forward to coming home?" Zoe asked carefully.

"I was, I am!" he corrected himself. "It's just, we're meant to be on a flight to New York right now except were here, watching last weeks episodes of Coronation Street whilst you snore away" Max replied, frustration evident in his voice.

...do you think one of my romantic presents might cheer you up?" Zoe asked.

Max gave an instant grin. "Might do."

Zoe dropped a kiss to her husbands cheek and stood up, walking from the room with a smile, because she was sure he would love what she'd managed to convince Dylan to go out and buy. "Eyes closed!" She called beforw re entering the bedroom. Positioning herself in front of her husband, Zoe let herself gaze at him for a moment, her heart aching, before she straightened her back. "Ready?"

Max nodded, another smile pulling at his lips. "Is it sexy lingerie?"

"Well, Dylan was the one who bought it, so I hope not." Zoe replied.

"Dylan buys you lingerie ?!" Max cried.

"It's not lingerie! Open your eyes."

Max opened one eye and then the other, a grin pulling at his mouth. "That is...ridiculously cool, but I don't think its very romantic."

"Ah well, that's where you're wrong." Zoe sat next to Max on the bed, dropping a kiss to his cheek before she opened the new laptop. "It has gaming things for when your arm is better, but it also has all of our childhood photos on it, and i thought if we looked at them together, we mighy be able to work out what our kids might look like."

Max's smile softened now and he leant over a little to capture Zoe's lips, grinning again when she whispered."theres also a locked file and if you can work out the password, you might find some photos of me i think you'll like."

...

Max woke several hours later to the sound of clattering around.

"Zoe?" He mumbled, rubbing his blearily eyes. Attempting to sit up and struggling against the pain Max found Zoe on a chair pinning something to the ceiling. Casting his eyes around the room he found that she had decorated by cutting out and hanging many New York landmarks on the wall. There were signs, people, balloons and banners.

"Zoe" he whispered, gazing around the room. "This looks amazing," he smiled, in awe of her work.

"Surprise!" She grinned, clambering down from the chair and sitting on the bed beside him. "I thought if we couldn't go to New York, New York could come to us." she explained with a smile.

Max reached out to pull Zoe towards him for a kiss, but she shook her head. "I need to get back to the kitchen."

"You're cooking?!"

"No need to seem so surprised!" Zoe laughed at the look on Max's face. "Is it counted as cooking if you're reheating something?"

"For you it is. Have I ever told you how perfect you are?" Max tried to pull Zoe towards him again, but she shook him off and walked to the door.

"Once or twice, and usually when I'm naked." She replied with a smile.

"Is that on the cards, too?" Max called out to Zoe.

"Well not whilst I'm cooking!" Zoe called back.

...

It was the following evening when the pair were laid in bed, side by side.

Max was gazing at the image of central park that zoe had stuck to the wall opposite the bed. She had photoshopped them into the scene and every time he looked at the poster it brought a smile to his lips. He also knew no one would believe him if he told them what she had done, for they thought he was the romantic one.

"The countdown starts soon." Zoe suddenly offered quietly into his ear. As max had hoped, zoe had spent much of the last day in very few clothes, and right now she was curled around him with absolutely nothing on. "Have you got any new years resolutions?"

"Not to interfere in the lives of crazy patients, to spend more time like this..." max began to list them. "To spend more time learning to play golf, get a better high score on that new game..." He trailed off and let his smile soften. "Oh, and to tell you more often that I love you," he added softly.

Zoe gave a smile leaning up to kiss him once more. Max ran a hand down her body with a grin. "You are so beautiful," he added with a whisper. Zoe gave a giggle, rolling her eyes.

"You're only saying that because I'm naked." Zoe pointed out. Max gave a laugh, thinking to the photos she found on his laptop.

"Not true." Max replied. "I'm saying it because it's true," he continued, kissing her head once more. "I love you Zoe. What about you, what are your resolutions?"

Zoe fell silent, she hasn't really thought about it.

"To tell you I love you more often." Zoe repeated. Max laughed, teasing her for stealing his own resolution.

"You need something more original than that!" Max teased.

"Okay, okay" Zoe smiled. "To start a family with you," she added with a whisper.

Max smiled, for this was something Zoe rarelt spoke about, and the last few days she had mentioned it several times.

Not wanting to push the issue, all Max said was, "I'd like that."

As Zoe kissed him again, the countdown began on the televisio but neither of them heard a thing, so wrapped up in one another, until suddenly fireworks began outside. As they lit up the room ,making central park glow with colours, max whispered

"Happy new year mrs walker."

Though zoe usually objected to this name becaude it reminded her of greta, this time she just smiled. "Happy new year mr walker."


	7. Mood Swings

_**PROMPT:** For whatever reason, person A of your OTP is having mood-swings which are making them difficult to be around. It is the job of Person B to cheer them up, how they do this is up to you._

* * *

When Zoe woke to the sound of her alarm, she wasted no time in turning it off before throwing her phone against the nearest wall.

"What did it ever do to you?" Max teased, clambering out of bed to retrieve her phone from the floor. Zoe narrowed her eyes and shot him an unimpressed glance. From that moment, it was clear to Max that today was going to be one of ' _those days'._

"Coffee?" Max asked, bending down to kiss the top of her head. Zoe gave a reluctant nod before rolling over to the space in the bed her husband had just vacated. Pulling the covers around her body she inhaled his familiar scent. She closed her eyes and attempted to get warm again. "We've got work, come on," he encouraged, knowing that if given the chance Zoe would fall straight back to sleep and waking her a second time would be a thankless task. Zoe gave a groan as she watched Max pad from the room in order to make them coffee and breakfast.

She lay there for a long while, enjoying the warmth and comfort before pushing the covers from her with a heavy sigh. Max heard her cursing from the kitchen as she attempted to get ready, motivation lacking.

When Zoe joined him in the kitchen for breakfast she announced she wasn't hungry but quickly drank the coffee he'd laid out for her. Next to her coffee was a needle, syringe and medication. She glanced at it apprehensively, like she did every morning, before drawing it up.

"Okay?" Max asked softly as she looked between the needle and the top of her thigh where she'd pushed up her dress just high enough to inject herself. Max gave a wince as he saw the needle pierce her skin and Zoe gave a sharp intake of breath. No matter how many times she did it, the injection still hurt. In the past few months they'd started the process of IVF and Zoe was in the stage of giving herself daily fertility injections in order to improve their chances. With the daily injections came mood-swings of an epic proportion.

"Do I have time to do any make up?" Zoe asked as she disposed of the needle and emptied her bowl of cereal into the bin. Max glanced at his watch with a frown.

"Not really," he admitted quietly, dreading Zoe's reaction. "Bring it and I'll cover for you whilst you do it at work," he added quickly, hoping to calm her. Zoe placed in bowl into the sink with a loud thud and Max had to glance over her shoulder to check it hadn't shattered. Pushing past him Zoe fled the room with angry footsteps.

...

When they finally arrived at work, after Zoe had insisted she wouldn't leave the house until her make up was done, they were stopped on the way in by their boss.

"Nice of you two to finally arrive," Connie pointed out sarcastically, her eyes narrowed. Zoe gave an audible curse before walking away, her loud heels and indication of her anger. Connie looked at Max quizzically but he held up his hands.

"She woke up like that," he replied. "It's nothing to do with me."

"I didn't say it was," Connie replied mildly. "Can you fix it though?" She added. "I won't have Dr Hanna's mood ruining the efficiency of my department,t" the clinical lead called as she walked away. Max waited until she was out of earshot before giving a heavy sigh.

When Max went to find Zoe in her office with a coffee and a chocolate bar he was vaguely worried to find she was not there. He looked in resus, cubicles and even asked Connie who simply replied with a raised eyebrow. Walking outside he gave a sigh, spotting her in their usual smoking spot, looking lost as she blew the smoke from her mouth.

"I've been looking for you," Max mused as she stood beside her, pushing the coffee cup into her hand. Zoe gave a weak but grateful smile.

"Have you come to tell me off?" Zoe asked. Max gave a quiet laugh, unwrapping the chocolate bar and allowing her to take a bite. "For shouting at Charlie and threatening to hurt your sister," Zoe admitted, her voice quiet as she struggled to meet his gaze.

"Zoe!" Max scolded another he couldn't help the laugh that followed. "What did they do to upset you?" He asked, already amused. Zoe shrugged.

"Charlie was fussing and Robyn mentioned your mum," she replied, taking another drag of her cigarette.

"And what about Rita?" Max asked carefully. "She came to find me in a panic, worried she'd made you cry". Zoe thought about it for a moment before giving a brief nod.

"We were talking in the staffroom but when I looked behind her I noticed one of the fish in the tank had died. He was floating upside down". As Zoe explained the story, her eyes begin to fill with tears once more and Max gave a sympathetic smile, despite the fact he was trying no to laugh. "I had to make an excuse and leave before I burst into tears." Max opened his arms to her and she gratefully accepted his hug, holding him close. "This is exhausting," Zoe admitted softly. "One minute I'm happy, the next I'm furious and a minute later I'm crying," she added sadly. Max pressed a kiss into her hair as the tears began to gather in her eyes once more.

"I know and if I could do it for you, I would in a heartbeat," he replied softly. Zoe gave a sniff which came out as a strangled sob as she buried her face into her husband's chest. Max simply wrapped his arms tightly around her shaking body.

...

An hour later and it was if their previous conversation hadn't happened. Zoe was in resus shouting at anyone who would listen about their incompetence. It took a fierce Mrs Beauchamp to drag her away, despite her loud protests.

"I don't know what has gotten into you today but it needs to stop!" Connie scolded, now sat in her office with Zoe on the other side of the desk looking timid.

Zoe apologised with a mumble, picking up her pen to play with it nervously.

"It's not just me you need to apologise to, Zoe, it's everyone in the department! For weeks now, you've-" Connie began, but was cit off by a quiet confession.

"I've started fertility drugs."

Connie was well aware of Zoe's past where children were concerned, as they'd often sat in this very office and discussed it, so Connie was surprised by this, as she'd assumed Zoe would have already told her. "Oh."

Zoe nodded, dropping the pen to instead stare at her hands, tears beginning to shine in her eyes. "I'm supposed to take them for another month, and then if...if nothing happens, I can do another cycle in 3 months."

"...Why didn't you tell me?" Connie asked gently.

"Because I thought if no one knew and it wasn't successful, it wouldn't hurt so much." Her colleague replied lifting her eyes to look out the window in the hopes that Max was there, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Connie was silent for a moment before making a decision. "I'll shuffle shifts to make sure you're on at quiet times, and then you can take over the paperwork associated with clinical lead." As Zoe opened her mouth to protest, Connie held up a hand. "You're in no state to be treating the public, Zoe. I would give you time off, but I know you won't accept it. This way, you can spend your shift in here and only leave if there's a big issue."

Zoe nodded, her tears finally spilling over. "Thank you."

* * *

Zoe had intended to find Max and tell him what had happened with Connie, and probably cry into his top for the second time that day, but by the time she found him her mood had changed once more. Max was just exiting the lift when Zoe appeared and put a hand to his chest, pushing him back in.

"What-"

"I'm ovulating."

"Oh." Was Max's response, though Zoe didn't seem to need anything more as she dragged him towards the on call room. Once inside, she locked the door and turned to Max to say matter of factly. "I need you to have sex with me now."

"Right." Was Max's response this time, and he looked at Zoe blankly, unsure how to begin.

"Now, Max!"

He stepped forward, trying to make it like it usually was by dropping kisses to her neck in the spot that usually made her knees go weak, but this time she stood rigidly. Changing tack, he moved her towards the bed and lay beside her, trying to get her in the mood as she matter of factly began undoing his trousers.

...

"Well, that was..interesting." Max commented as they left the on call room. He turned to kiss Zoe goodbye, but found she was already walking away towards the lift. "Thanks for your input, Max." He mumbled to himself.

When Connie tracked Max down he was still stood absently outside the on-call room, trying to process the last few hours. A warm hand on his shoulder pulled him from his trance.

"Are you going to do any work today?" When Max looked up, assuming he was in trouble, he was surprised to find Connie was only teasing. He gave a slight smile.

"Sorry," He mumbled, following the clinical lead through the department. "I've got Zoe troubles," he added with a quiet laugh.

"Haven't we all?" Connie asked with a smile. Max gave a frown. "She told me," Connie added. "About the fertility drugs I mean," she continued with a whisper.

"I'm glad she has," Max replied honestly. "I wasn't sure how many more excuses I could use to get her out of trouble."

Connie gave a wry smile. "Well I know now and I'm here if you need me," she added, stopping outside her office.

"Thank you," Max replied sincerely, resting the urge to once hug the only woman who scared him more than his own mother. "I should probably go and find her," he continued. "She'll either be crying, shouting or demanding someone sleep with her."

"Do I want to know?" Connie asked with a quiet laugh.

Max shook his head. "Probably not," he replied before walking away in the hope of finding his wife.

Zoe was in fact still in her office, fast asleep. Aware of how troubled her sleep was at the moment, when Max saw her, he drew the blinds shut, turned off the light, then gave her one last glance before shutting the door softly, intending to get back to work.

* * *

Though they'd both promised to give up smoking, an hour later Max found himself outside, gratefully breathing in a cigarette taken from the pack still hidden inside Zoe's locker. He was thinking about what to do, for though he loved his wife and knew how much she wanted a child of her own, he wasn't sure how much longer he could deal with the mood swings. He felt out of his depth and unsure of himself constantly.

"Penny for them."

Max looked up to find his friend Lofty hovering by his side, looking troubled himself.

"Whatever she's done, sorry." Max mumbled as he blew smoke out of his nose.

"She told me my hair is stupid and I should shave it off." Lofty grumbled.

"Well I like it." Max offered, adding, "It's your only redeeming feature."

Smiling now, Lofty rested against the wall beside his friend. "Thanks, though I wouldn't listen to your hair advice with a mop like that."

"Nothing wrong with my hair, mate." Max smiled back. They fell into a silence then, Lofty wanting to know what had got in to Zoe, and Max reluctant to talk about it.

Max opened his mouth to form a reply that might get Lofty off his case. Before he had a chance to reply however, Charlie appeared at their side supplying a deep breath.

"Zoe?" Charlie asked, gesturing to them both stood outside. Both men nodded. "Me too" the older nurse offered. Max gave a grumble.

"What has she done now? I left her asleep," he replied in a quiet mutter.

"Her and Rita were bickering about something nonsensical, I had to get some air before it turned into world war three!" Charlie explained. Max gave a sigh, unsure of what to do.

"I should probably go and sort her out," Max replied quietly, stunning out his cigarette.

"I think Connie has beat you to it," Charlie supplied with a worried frown. "She took Zoe to her office to talk about sending her home."

"That's the second time she's been into Connie's office today," Lofty pointed out hesitantly. Max frowned. Earlier Connie had been very supportive of them both and he hoped Zoe hadn't had to face her wrath.

"I should go and see to her," Max mumbled again, pushing off the wall and onto his feet. He walked inside in silence and headed straight towards Connie's office, unsure of what he would find. He tried to peek though the blinds but Connie had pulled them in order to stop any such attempts. He knocked carefully.

"It's Max," he supplied when he got no answer.

"Come in," came a quiet voice. He tentatively pushed the door before stepping inside. Connie sat at her desk completing paperwork with a sympathetic smile on her face. Max followed her gaze to find Zoe sprawled across the sofa, sound asleep and her cheeks stained with tears. He looked quizzically at the clinical lead.

"Apparently she was having a sleep in her office and she woke up feeling even more grumpy. She shouted at Charlie, Lofty and Rita and when I tried to calm her down she burst into tears," Connie explained quietly as Max shifted from foot to foot. "Max, she's exhausted," the brunette added carefully.

"I know," Max replied sadly. "I don't know what to do," he added with a shrug.

"Take her home, convince her to have some time off" Connie offered, attempting a small smile. Max shrugged again.

"You know I can't do that," he replied honestly.

"You can try," the clinical lead replied hopefully. "She can stay until you finish your shift?" She offered.

Max gave a wry smile. "If you could get her to sleep for that long, I think I'd kiss you."

Connie held up her hands "I'll pass, thank you."

Max gave a slight smile and then glanced at Zoe again. "...do you think all this is worth it?"

"I think Zoe believes it is." Connie replied softly.

...

"Wake up, zo." Max dropped a gentle kiss to Zoe's cheek. His shift finished and zoe still fast asleep, he had spoken to her doctor before returning to connies office to wake her.

Zoe frowned and grumbled, and then her eyelids began to flicker. "Is that donut i can smell?"

"Fresh ones."max nodded, presssing one to zoe's lips, smiling when she bit into it as she opened her eyes. "Home time."

"Who let me fall asleep?" Zoe asked, her voice still hoarse from sleeping.

"Connie" Max replied softly. "You must have needed it."

Zoe gave a nod. "That's the longest I've slept in ages," she admitted. Max smiled, leaning forward to kiss her cheek.

"I know," he replied gently. "Do you feel any better for it?" He asked, noting that she seemed much clamber.

"Much," Zoe replied, rubbing her bleary eyes.

"I'm so glad," he relied honestly, outstretching a hand to run his thumb along her cheek. "You seem a lot calmer."

Zoe gave a smile where she would usually bite his head off. Max grinned.

"Let's get home," Max replied. "If you wanted we could stop by the shop and I could cook?" He asked hopefully.

"I'd like that," Zoe replied with a soft smile, gathering her things ready to go. "And then you know what we need to do" she added, matter of factly. Max grimaced, he hated the routine of it all and longed for the fun and sporntinuatey of their earlier relationship.

"I think you need your rest," Max replied carefully, leading her out of the office and towards the car park. He still hadn't recovered from their earlier escapades and Zoe's new found 'business approach' to their sex life.

"Max, we can't miss the opportunity!" Zoe snapped, growing agitated once more. Unsure of how to reply, Max didn't and instead helped her into the car before climbing in himself.

Zoe was replying to an email on her phone and only noticed they still hadn't moved when she looked up. She turned to look at Max with a frown. "Home?"

"I can't do it, zoe. I don't think it will work this way." Max said softly.

Zoe's heart began to hammer in her chest. "What do you mean?"

Max glanced towards his wife and when he saw the panic on her face he offered a smile. "I don't mean the drugs, or trying to get pregnant, i mean the business way you're going about it. Its difficult to preform when you're just..lying there. I know we are doing it for a reason, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the process. It's not like we never used to sneak off at work and have sex, it doesn't have to be this way."

Zoe gave a heavy sigh, the good mood she'd woken up in instantly forgotten.

"I thought you wanted to have a baby with me?" Zoe asked her voice sharp.

"Zo," Max warned softly, unable to handle another unnecessary argument. "I do want to have a family with you but I want this baby to be conceived with love, not in a pre-arranged time slot that served as a box ticking exercise."

Zoe remained silent, unable to see his point of view. She wanted a baby and she would do anything to achieve it.

"I love you Zoe and I want to bring this child into the world surrounded by love," he continued, unsure at what he was getting at himself. When Zoe failed to reply and instead stared out of the window, Max gave a heavy sigh before pulling out of the car park.

Their journey home was completed in silence and when Max climbed from the car to enter the apartment, Zoe remained still.

"Come on Zo," Max encouraged softly. When Zoe didn't move he walked around to the passenger door and opened it before crouching in front of her. "You need to come inside, you'll get cold out here," he added gently.

When she still gave no reply,max followed her line of sight and saw a woman pushing a pram. With a sigh, he reached out to take her hand. "How about i cook us a nice dinner, then we can have a bath together."

Aware of where their baths usually led, zoe now nodded and climbed from the car.

...

An hour later and zoe still hadn't spoken. She had finished her dinner in silence and then walked straight to the bathroom. When max entered and saw how stiffly she was sitting, he gave a sigh and left the room, going to bed instead.

When Max had entered the bathroom Zoe was expecting him to join her in the bath, so when he turned away and left the room in silence she panicked.

"Max?" She suddenly called out. Max had turned on the television and was unable to hear her as he climbed into bed. Getting no response Zoe was unable to stop the tears that filled her eyes.

She quickly clambered from the bath and wrapped a towel around her. She was about to walk into the bedroom when she had a thought and dropped the towel instead.

Max turned when he saw her enter the room and did a double take when he realised she was naked. Instead of growing interested like he usually would, Max grew annoyed. He knew exactly what she was planning.

"You'll catch your death," he muttered, turning his attention back to the TV. Zoe, who had never been unsure of her body, suddenly grew conscious of herself and reached out for a nightdress of her pillow despite the fact she rarely wore it.

Unsure of what to do, she brushed her hair and have a heavy sigh. When she was ready for bed, she climbed in beside Max, unsure whether or not he was angry at her.

"That's better, you look warmer now," Max offered, his voice a lot softer that it had been previously. "You need to look after yourself, especially if we're going to have a baby," he continued. This made Zoe smile. He turned so he was lay on his side and rest his free arm across her middle. When he pressed a kiss into her neck, she surprised herself by giving a shiver for she hadn't been expecting it at all.

His kisses slowly moved down her body,and zoes fingers knoted themselves into Max's hair as a moan formed on her lips. Max smiled to himself, for he could feel every muscle he kissed relaxed one by one. When he reached his final destination, he knew zoe was no longer thinking solely of getting pregnant, and that was just the way he wanted it.

* * *

It was a month later that Zoe unceremoniously announced that she felt odd.

"Odd, how?" Max asked with a frown, offering her the coffee he'd just brought as they fell into step. She pushed it back into his hands, turning her nose up at it.

"I dunno, just different," she replied with a shrug.

"Different, how?" Max questioned, unsure of what she was getting at. When Zoe gave another shrug Max laughed.

"You should be a doctor," he teased.

"Funny," Zoe replied sarcastically, trying to ignore the way her stomach churned as a patient walked past with a lukewarm burger.

"Well, poorly different?" Max offered. Zoe wrinkled her nose. "Or just, different?"

"I don't know. Just odd and different," Zoe replied, frustrated that she couldn't seem to get her own head around her feelings. "Do you know what?"

Max shrugged.

"I'm going to go into my office and think about it and when I know, I'll come and find you, okay?" She told him cheekily. Max gave a laugh, holding open her office door for her.

"Whatever you say," he replied with a smile.

...

An hour before the end of their shift, Max was watching Connie yell at some junior staff when hands suddenly rested on his hips and lips brushed his ear. "Guess what."

Smiling, max rested a hand on top of zoes. "What?"

"I just managed to get us a table at that restaurant that's always booked out."zoe replied.

"What's the occasion?" Max asked as Zoe pulled away and he turned to watch her wall back to her office.

Turning slightly so she was only partially facing him, Zoe flashed a pregnancy test with a grin.

Max stared silently for a moment before managing to stutter. "You're..."

"I'm very pleased with myself for managing to get a table, yes." Zoe teased, unable to wipe the grin from her face.

Connie and the juniors turned to stare when a moment later zoe gave a squeal as Max drew her into his arms so tightly her feet lifted from the floor. They watched in silence as Max kissed Zoe deeply, and then averted their gaze when the couple slipped into zoes office, the blinds quickly drawn.

All 3 of them blushed when giggles emitted from the room a few minutes later.

"Alright, enough standing around. Back to work!" Connie snapped. It was only when the juniors had left that Connie allowed herself to smile.


	8. Dance, Dance, Dance

_**PROMPT:** Imagine your OTP going to Prom (or a dance or some sort of formal event) and Person A being very excited about it. For whatever reason, something bad happens at the event (could be a wardrobe malfunction or a bad encounter with someone or the event generally not being as nice as they hoped) and they end up going home early and quite upset. Later on, Person B puts on some music and Person A and Person B dance in their living room. _

* * *

"Do we have to?" Zoe replied with a sigh, desperately trying to dress their restless six month old daughter who they'd recently adopted. "Darcy, stop wriggling". Today they were attending Max's mother's wedding and Zoe couldn't have been dreading it more.

Max choose to ignore her, holding his arms out for the little girl in an attempt to put on her tights. "You're a wiggle-bum today aren't you?" Max cooed, placing a kiss on her cheek as Zoe dressed her. "You're going to look beautiful, you'll steal all the attention at Grandma's wedding!"

"Max, hold her still!" Zoe snapped, placing a bow to the little girl's hair. When Zoe attempted to stand in order to go to the kitchen, Max stopped her with a hand on her hip.

"Zo," he supplied, pulling her into a hug with Darcy still on his hip. Zoe tensed. "It's going to be okay," he told her softly. Zoe gave a sigh as she relaxed into his arms. It was the first time they were going to introduce Darcy to the majority of Max's family and Zoe was nervous. Scared of being judged for having to adopt instead of being able to conceive naturally. This coupled with the fact that Zoe and Max's mother didn't get along meant that Zoe was nervous to say the least.

"I know," Zoe replied gently. "I need to get this little one fed and then finish getting ready," she told him, gesturing to her pyjamas. Max gave a smile, keeping hold of Darcy although Zoe held her arms out for her.

"I'll feed Darcy, you go and get ready," Max told her with a smile. Zoe looked unsure but Max nodded, pointing towards the bedroom.

"If you dare get anything on that dress!" Zoe called and she walked into the bedroom. Max gave a laugh before pulling a bib out of one of the kitchen drawers.

"We'll be okay won't we Darcy?" Max cooed, placing her in her high-chair. The little girl let out an amused gurgle. "And Daddy is going to introduce you to everyone because he is so proud of you". Darcy kicked her legs and Max wasn't sure whether she was happy to be spending time with him or excited because he had placed a bowl of porridge in front of her. In all honesty, Max was excited. He rarely got to see his entire family altogether and he was more than excited to show off his beautiful wife and daughter to those closest to him. "Shall we put some music on whilst we get ready?" Max asked the little girl. She gave a smile but when he put her favourite nursery rhymes on the iPad, her smile grew into a loud giggle and soon Max found that he was laughing along with her.

...

In the bedroom, Zoe had thrown six outfits onto the floor and was trying on another three in frustration. Nothing looked right and all she could see were the tired bags under her eyes where they were still getting used to having a baby in the house. She noticed the way the weight hung around her abdomen, a consequence of grabbing snacks around playing and feeding her new daughter. She was just about settled on a navy dress when she noticed the sick stain down it from when Darcy had thrown up on her last week. She ripped it off with a heavy sigh, desperately wishing she could sink back into bed and not move all day.

Once Darcy had finished eating and instead began throwing her food, Max quickly cleaned her hands and pulled her from the high-chair. "Shall we go and see what your mummy is wearing?"

As she always did at the word mummy, Darcy began wriggling in Max's arms with a gummy smile.

When Max stopped in the bedroom doorway, he found Zoe with a full face of make up lying back in bed with only a slip on and her eyes tightly shut. Max paused for a moment and then quietly put Darcy in the cot that rested beside the door for when they were too tired to take her back to the nursery. Putting a hand on his lips, which made Darcy smile, Max then approached the bed.

Zoe jumped when the bed dipped, and when her eyes flew open she found Max hovering over her with a grin. Before she could speak, he placed a firm kiss on her lips.

"You are the most gorgeous woman in the world."

Hearing the honesty in Max's voice, Zoe gave a slight smile but shook her head. "I'm not. I can't find anything to wear that your mother will approve of."

"You know what I think you should wear?"

"I'm not going in just a bra, Max." Zoe said dryly.

Grinning again, Max dropped a kiss to her forehead. "The dress you wore for our engagement party. When I saw you in that, I fell in love with you all over again."

"But I'm too-" Zoe began, but was cut off by Max.

"Too beautiful? If you're worried you'll outshine my mother, then you're right to worry, but even if you weighed 500 kilos and wore a dress made out of paper towel, I'd still be so proud that you're mine and I'd still think you were the most beautiful woman on the planet."

Zoe wrinkled her nose, but was still pleased by his words. "Leave the room, you being in here always makes dressing ten times harder."

"Well you've got fifteen minutes before we need to leave." Max told her, swooping in for another kiss before he left the room.

...

"Can you sort my tie and then I'll put Darcy in the car?" Max asked. Zoe gave a nod through a last minute mouthful of toast, standing to fasten her husband's tie. He leant forward to place a kiss on her cheek before taking Darcy from her arms.

"I'll just make sure we've got everything, lock up and follow you down," Zoe replied, beginning to fuss around Darcy's pram. Max gave a nod, cooing at his daughter as he carried her down to the car.

When they arrived at the wedding Zoe was instantly overwhelmed with people fussing over Darcy. She instantly tensed which distressed the little girl who gave a cry. Wherever Zoe seemed to look there were people who wanted to coo over her daughter.

"Let me see her," one of Max's Auntie's seemed to demand.

Another reminded Zoe "she's so cute".

Zoe was overwhelmed and whilst she tried to stay calm, Darcy was doing anything but and began to get restless. Zoe was about to announce they needed to go home when she felt a comforting hand around her waist. Max dropped a kiss to the side of her head.

"Okay, okay. Give them some space," Max teased. His family instantly departed and Zoe felt herself give an outward sigh of relief. "I know they are beautiful but they'll be here all day," he added making sure all of his cousins had backed away. Darcy gave a gurgled, sensing the way her mother's shoulders had dropped. "Let's get you both inside," Max whispered, noticing the way the clouds were beginning to darken. He lead them into the registry office only stopping briefly to say hello to certain members of his family.

Max was meant to be walking his mother down the aisle but she was no where to be seen so he settled on focusing Zoe and Darcy.

"Now, Robyn will be somewhere," Max told her softly. "And Robyn will have brought Lofty, so I'll make sure they sit next to you," he added with a smile. "Robyn will fend off all the family and you know Darcy is endlessly fascinated by Lofty's hair so if she starts to get wriggly, pass her to him."

Zoe just gave a smile.

"I'll just be at the front, okay?" Max continued, dropping a kiss to Darcy's head. Zoe gave an unsure nod. "There's Sean, I should probably go and say hello," he mused, looking at the man his mother was just about to marry. Zoe gave him an encouraging nod despite the fact she desperately didn't want Max to leave her side.

"We'll be fine," Zoe replied softly, although she was barely convincing herself. "If he is anything like you were on our wedding day, he'll need a pep talk," Zoe teased.

Max gave a laugh. "Said the girl who told me she couldn't marry me ten minutes before the wedding was due to start!" he teased, dropping a kiss to her head. Zoe gave a giggle. "Love you, I'll be back before the start of the ceremony," Zoe gave a nod as Max bent down to Darcy. "Behave yourself little one, god forbid anyone make a noise during Grandma's wedding. She will already be annoyed that you and mummy are upstaging her with your beauty!"

The ceremony went much more smoothly than their own had, and Darcy kept quiet the whole time, her eyes on her father who kept glancing their way. Max was used to Zoe being confident, but since they'd adopted Darcy she was so unsure of herself in this new roll, and he was surprised he'd even managed to get her out of the house that morning.

When they went to take photos, Greta insisted she only wanted family members in them, so Max went to get Zoe and Darcy, but Greta caught his arm. "MY family members only."

Max clenched his jaw, but it was his mother's day and he didn't want to ruin it, so he just stood beside her and smiled at the photographers.

...

"Wow." Was Lofty's first comment when they reached the reception.

"Trust Greta to have gone over the top." Robyn mumbled, looking at all the crystal and chandeliers.

Zoe had travelled to the reception with the pair, as Greta had insisted she needed Max with her, but Max had assured Zoe he'd be right behind them, and as if on cue when Darcy began to ready herself for a cry, Max suddenly appeared. She watched him over Zoe's shoulder and gave a delighted giggle when he finally reached them and slid an arm around Zoe's waist.

"Remind me why we came?" Max mumbled into Zoe's ear, but his grumpiness was short lived as he then added cheekily, "Well, aside from seeing you in this dress."

"Because she's your mother," Zoe replied quietly. Anger bubbled in her stomach for she had just seen the seating plan. Max was sat on the top table with his family and mother whilst Zoe and Darcy, who hadn't even been mentioned, were sitting on the opposite side of the room.

"Where are we sat?" Max asked, noting the way Darcy wriggled and wanting to get her sat down and eating before she began to grow restless.

"You're over there," Zoe replied, poining to the top table. Max frowned.

"And where are you?" He asked curiously.

Zoe pointed the the table furthest away, near the door which came with a draft not fit for a small baby. "There," she replied, tears threatening to spill. Max couldn't held the way his jaw dropped open in shock.

"I'll talk to her," Max promised, trying to keep the anger from his voice. Zoe gave a heavy sigh.

"We both know there's no point," she replied sadly. "I'm just going to feed Darcy and then I think I'll take her home. We're clearly not wanted here. You stay and have fun though," she continued, attempting to force a smile.

"Zo?" Max called but Zoe was already walking towards her seat with Darcy where a precariously lay high-chair sat. Zoe sighed as she sat down and fussed around Darcy. Greta hadn't bothered to visit the child since they'd adopted her and couldn't even be bothered to meet her despite the fact they'd been less then five feet away from each other all day.

"You've got a silly grandmother have't you?" Zoe cooed, placing a bib around her daughter's neck. "But it's okay because Mummy loves you so you don't need to worry about silly Greta, okay?"

Darcy gave a giggle, more excited about the prospect of lunch than anything else. Max was hot on their heels and suddenly appeared beside them once more.

"Mum won't change it," Max sighed, scuffing his shoe along the floor in frustration.

"I know," Zoe replied simply. "It's fine, we'll only be ten minutes and then we'll be leaving, won't we sweetheart?" She added, aiming her question at Darcy who gave a delighted squeal.

Max gave a frustrated sigh, because he was unsure what to do. They rarely saw his mother nowadays, and he'd been sure she had put Zoe and Darcy on the wedding guest list because she wanted to bury the hatchet, but it was clearly only to ignore them as usual. "..I'm supposed to dance with her after their first dance..."

"It's fine." Zoe offered again, eyes on Darcy still.

"Zo, I-" max began

"It's fine." Zoe replied again, sharper this time.

Giving a defeated sigh, Max slunk away head lowered and hands shoved in his pockets.

..

Ten minutes later as Max tried to extract himself from a conversation without being noticed so he could say goodbye, Greta grabbed his arm. "Speech time! Come on."

Max looked desperately towards Zoe's retreating back, because he knew she was angry with him, though he wasn't sure what he could do to better the situation.

"Max! Hurry up, you're first." Greta urged, pulling Max in the opposite direction.

"No Mum!" Max suddenly snapped, trying to rush towards Zoe but Greta held him back. She forced a smile.

"Oh, I didn't realise Zoe and Darcy had actually come," she lied.

Max frowned. "Yes you did, we've talked about it."

Greta shook her head, her fake smile growing. "There must have been a mix up, of course I didn't know. I want to meet little Darcy," she insisted, realising that without doing so Max was going to leave along with his wife and daughter. "Let's delay the speeches and go and get them," she added, tugging on Max's hand. He rolled his eyes but followed her anyway.

Zoe was halfway to the car when she heard Greta's high-pitched voice that had always grated on her.

"Zoe darling!" She called. Zoe was about to turn round and snap when she felt Max's familiar hand on her hip.

"Please stay!" He begged. "At least for a while. Mum wants to meet Darcy," he was out of breath from running after her. Zoe turned and looked between Max and Greta who had now caught up.

Greta looked critically at the little girl that wriggled in her mother's arms. She attempted to force a smile but Zoe could see the strain on her face.

"Hello cutie," Greta offered. Zoe cringed but passed Darcy to her anyway, hoping the little girl wouldn't throw up her dinner on her grandmother's wedding dress.

"Come back inside," Max offered softly, tugging on Zoe's hand. "At least just for an hour and then we'll go?"

As Zoe opened her mouth to reply, Darcy did exactly what Zoe had hoped she wouldn't. She was sick on Greta's dress. If it wasn't for Max's quick movement, Darcy would have hit the ground because as soon as she vomited, Greta's hold on her released.

Both Greta and Darcy burst into tears as Zoe grabbed Darcy and pulled her roughly from Max's arms, giving him a glare before turning on her heel and marching towards the car, leaving Max beside Greta.

"She's ruined my wedding dress! Do you have any idea how expensive this was?!" Greta cried. When she saw Max's focus was on Zoe, she grabbed his arm. "Max, LOOK what she's done!"

Max looked back at his mother, then at Zoe's retreating back before finally backing away from his mother. Into her hands he pushed a cloth he kept in his pocket for Darcy. "I'm sorry."

"Max!" Greta cried as he took a few steps towards Zoe.

"No. I have tried. I have tried so hard, and I wanted today to be special for you, but I can't do this anymore." He turned, jogging after his family.

Zoe carefully strapped Darcy into her car seat, surprised when Max flew past her and fell into the drivers seat. She frowned, looking back for Greta who was stomping back into the reception. Darcy gave a whimper as Zoe cleaned the sick from around her mouth with a tissue before kissing the top of her head.

"You're okay angel," Zoe told her softly. "Let's get you home, okay?" At this Darcy seemed to perk up and relaxed back into her travel seat, suddenly feeling tired.

Zoe silently climbed into the car next to Max who pulled out of the car park. They managed to make it to the main road before Zoe cleared her throat, unsure of what to say.

"You didn't need to do that," she told him softly. Although she was very grateful he had.

"I did," Max replied, his eyes remaining focused on the road. "Why can't she understand that you and Darcy are my life now. She can't ignore your existence?" He asked, his hand hit the steering wheel. Zoe remained silent.

"She's never liked me," Zoe pointed out after a long silence. "And when she found out I couldn't have children it was just the nail in the coffin."

"You don't need punishing for it," Max replied, frustrated. "Darcy is as much her granddaughter now than she is our daughter."

Zoe scoffed, remembering the time the adoption agency had spoken to Greta and she outright stated that she wanted nothing to do with a child that wasn't hers by blood. It had taken weeks for Max and Zoe to persuade the adoption agency that Darcy should still be theirs.

When Max hit the steering wheel again and yelled at someone driving past them, Zoe finally put a hand on his arm. "Pull over."

"I'm fine." Max said through clenched teeth.

"Pull over! I don't want to be in a car with you if you're going to drive in this state." Zoe said sharply.

After a few more metres, Max parked the car with a squeal of tyres. Zoe took a deep breath and then looked towards her husband again, now feeling guilty for being angry with him. She hadn't been able to see how much Greta was already working him up, and now she was worried she'd made the situation even worse for him.

When Max kept his hands on the wheel, his knuckles white, Zoe reached out, running a hand down her arm to his hand, much like he'd done the morning before their wedding. As her hand rested over his, she leant across to drop a kiss to his cheek. "I love you."

Max let out a sigh, but his fingers only slightly loosened. So rarely had she seen him upset, Zoe was unsure how to calm him, so just tried when he always used on her. Moving a little, she dropped another kiss to the corner of his mouth and then murmured softly in his ear, "Remember the day we got married and you brought me a curly wurly and then you were worried it wasn't a proper gift? I got my proper gift. I got you, I got alcohol and I got chocolate, my 3 favourite things."

"Isn't Darcy a favourite thing?" Max asked.

Relieved that he was listening, Zoe dropped another kiss. "Well, she's still earning her stripes."

Max gave a slight smile, resting his head against his seat. "Sorry."

Zoe shrugged because she'd already forgiven him.

"Do you want me to drive home?" She asked. Max shook his head. "Are you sure you won't drive like a lunatic?" She added with a giggle. Darcy let out a laugh from the back seat as if she'd understood her parents and it caused Max to laugh along with her.

"Well aren't you a little ray of sunshine," he teased, turning back to Darcy who gave an excited kick of her legs. She squeezed the cuddly toy in her hands with a grin. "Do you want to go home and cuddle up?" He asked. Darcy let out a squeal. "How did we get so lucky with you, hey?"

Max looked at Zoe who gave a smile, for she was thinking exactly the same thing.

When they arrived home Max settled on the sofa with Darcy on his chest. They'd instantly fallen asleep and Zoe had taken great pleasure in cuddling up next to them.

Max woke hours later to the sound of music. He opened his eyes to find Darcy staring intently at him with a grin on her face. He dropped a kiss to her forehead before scanning the living room for Zoe. He found her lighting candles at the coffee table.

"This is all very romantic," Max smiled. Zoe looked across, giving him a smile.

"I thought if we couldn't go to the reception, the reception could come to us," she teased. "Fancy a dance Mr Walker?" She asked, extending a hand out to him. It didn't matter than he'd just woken up or that Zoe was in her pyjamas because the moment couldn't have been more perfect. Max gave a lopsided grin and stood, Darcy still on his hip. He took Zoe's hand and pulled her into him, their little girl between them.

Darcy wrapped one arm around Zoe, resting her head against Zoe as her other hand still gripped Max tightly.

"I love you, Dr Walker." Max said, kissing Zoe gently as he wrapped his free arm around Zoe. "And for the record, I think you in your pyjamas is the most beautiful I've ever seen you."

Zoe smiled, shutting her eyes and resting her head against her husbands chest. After a moment, she lifted her head with tears in her eyes. "I got so lucky with you two."

"You also got saddled with my mother." Max reminded her.

"You know what? I would taken on a hundred Greta's every day if we could have this moment every night." Zoe replied, kissing Max gently.

Though he deepened the kiss, a small hand suddenly moved between them as Darcy gave a delighted giggle, clapping her hands when both her parents laughed.

"Me too." Max finally replied, grinning at his wife.


	9. Silver Lining

"Nope," Zoe's daughter shook her head, curling up her legs to move them away. "No, no!" She repeated when Zoe once more attempted to put her some tights on her.

"Please?" Zoe begged and glanced at the clock again, aware if this continued she would be late.

"Daddy do it," The girl on the bed offered, wriggling away from her mother's grip once more.

"Daddy is in the shower. If you let me put these on, I will let you wear your sparkly shoes?" Zoe attempted, turning her back for a moment to try and finish her make up.

The girl considered this and studied her mother with a frown before deciding, "One leg."

When Max finally made it out of the bathroom, fully dressed and drying his hair he found Zoe with eyeshadow on only one eyelid, and his daughter with a dress on, but only one leg of tights and one shoe on. "...right. ready to go?"

"Yes," Zoe replied, grabbing her make up bag from the nightstand and her phone from the bed.

"Gumboot." Their daughter cried hopefully, waving her barefoot around, still lying flat on her parents bed.

"You look like a silly sausage!" Max pointed out offering a laugh to Jade who grinned gleefully.

"No daddy!" She protested, ignoring her mother who stood at the door impatiently waiting to leave.

"Yes you do!" he teased, sticking his tongue out at the little girl who shrieked with glee. "Will you let daddy put your tights on and those beautiful sparkly shoes I brought you at the weekend?" Jade gave a happy nod, bounding towards her father and lifting her leg to hip height. He heard Zoe give audible sigh from the doorway, frustrated that Jade was letting her father do something that she'd had fought to do for the best part of twenty minutes.

"Jade pretty now?" The little girl asked whilst doing a twirl, now fully dressed in her dress, tights and correct shoes.

"Not just pretty, the most beautiful girl I've ever seen," Max gushed, lifting the girl onto his hip. They walked past Zoe to exit the room when Max gave a loud whisper. "Well, apart from your mummy but don't tell her. She'll get big headed." he teased.

"We're late." was all Zoe offered as she bundled them both out of the door and towards the car, her own bag and Jade's backpack hanging off her arm.

"But we're in love, and what does a bit of lateness mean in the face of our love?!" Max questioned with a grin, earning another roll of his wife's eyes. "Would dropping us off at daycare so you can get in quicker get me at least a little smile?"

"I'm too tired to smile," Came a reply as Zoe tried and failed to unlock the car. "She's got the keyless lock stuck again! What have I told you about giving her keys?!"

"Alright, alright. Calm down." Max took the keys from her and managed somehow to unlock the doors before bending to put Jade in her car seat.

Zoe put the bags in the boot before walking to the driver's side, but Max's arm suddenly blocked her from getting in.

"I'm driving, I don't fancy our chances of getting into work with all our limbs if you do."

Zoe gave a frustrated grumble and walked to the passenger side, sitting down with a thud as Jade watched her with wide eyes, wondering why her mother was cross.

"Zoe-" Max began.

"We're late!" Zoe snapped the reminder, finally managing to give Jade a forced smile before pulling down the visor to finish her make up.

* * *

The drive to work was done in a unnerving silence before Jade begged Max for her CD to be out on. It was a collection of nursery rhymes, Disney songs and jingles that the little girl adored and usually Max would have said no, worried about infuriating Zoe, but today Max obliged unable to take the silence much longer. Jade sang happily and Max joined in, much to her amusement.

"Good singing!" Max praised as the little girl managed a verse of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star by herself.

"I, good singing, mummy?" The two year old asked. Zoe managed a smile.

"Very good singing sweetheart," her mother offered causing Jade to kick her legs, singing even louder when the next song came on. "Can you drop me here?" She asked, indicating to a pavement a short walk from the hospital. Max gave a frown and then a nod.

"I'll just drop Jade off and I'll be right behind you." Max explained unnecessarily.

"Bye Jade, see you later!" Zoe called, blowing a kiss to the little girl as she clambered from the car.

"Bye-bye mummy!" Jade smiled, waving at her mother through the window.

"Zo, don't forget we're going to lunch with-" Max began but he was stopped by Zoe giving another "I'm late" and shutting the door before scurrying towards the hospital. "-my mum today" Max finished with a sigh.

"Granny?" Jade asked gleefully, wringing her hands in excitement as Max pulled away one more, this time to daycare.

"Not Granny, Greta." Max replied sadly. Greta was his mother, for she refused to be called anything else. Granny was Zoe's mother whom Jade adored. "But we'll pick you up from daycare early and I'll let you sit next to mummy!" Max continued when the girl's bottom lip began to wobble. This placated her and Jade went back to singing until they arrived at daycare a short while later.

A short while later, Max hung Jade's bag on her peg and gave her a tight hug. "I'll see you soon!" He always hated dropping her off at daycare and was relieved when today turned out not to be one of her clingy days, and she was nodded before rushing off to do some painting.

* * *

"I have your bag, a triple shot coffee and a...well, slightly squashed muffin. Sorry." Max put everything down on Zoe's desk half an hour later. "Can I get a smile now?"

"I don't understand why she won't sleep! I've tried everything I can think of!" Zoe ranted, running a hand through her hair.

"I'll take that as a no. Look, I'd better go and do some actual work, but we can talk about this later and sort something out, okay?"

Zoe nodded, sighing as she bit miserably into the muffin, barely tasting it as she refocused on her emails.

* * *

Max didn't see Zoe for the rest of that morning, despite the fact he kept trying to talk to her and remind her about lunch with his mother. She always seemed to be involved with a patient, and Max suspected somewhere in the back of her mind she was doing it to get out of going to lunch.

It wasn't until about half past 1 that Zoe suddenly realised her stomach was grumbling loudly, but as she was trying to remember if there was something she was supposed to do, Connie grabbed her arm. "There's been a building collapse, we've got two patients age 3 being brought in, and possibly more wounded."

"What building?" Zoe asked, her heart hammering against her chest when she heard the age of the casualties.

"The warehouse next to daycare. The children who were in the garden have been injured." Connie spoke calmly, her hand on her colleagues shoulder. Connie was unsure why Zoe looked so panicked for she knew that Max hadn't taken Jade out of daycare over an hour earlier, ready to take her to lunch with Greta. She had just assumed that Zoe wasn't going. But when the doctor ran off Connie was left frowning.

Zoe had ran to her office, quickly locating her doctor's jumpsuit and throwing it on. She could focus on nothing else than Jade. Somehow Zoe had made it to the ambulance bay, announcing to Iain that she was going on the shout, if only to find Jade. The journey seemed to take forever and if it wasn't for the adrenaline coursing through her veins Zoe was sure she would have burst into tears right there and then.

She'd tried to pull her phone from her pocket in order to tell Max but her hands had been shaking so much that she'd been unable to make the call.

"You okay Zo?" Iain asked carefully. Zoe gave a nod of the head and he gave her a smile she was unable to stop the worried tear which slipped down her cheek.

"Has anyone seen Zoe?" Connie questioned a short time later, but received only shrugs in return.

"I think she might have gone with the paramedics. I bet she was imagining how she'd feel if Jade had been there, so she wants to help the other parents as much as she can," Robyn decided.

"Try and call her, will you please. I didn't authorise that, and I need as many people here as possible!"

Robyn nodded, picking up the phone.

* * *

By the time they reached the daycare, Zoe was sure her legs were no longer going to work, but she forced them to move, rushing ahead of Iain. Inside the front room, the furthest away from the collapse, there were children everywhere, most of them crying from either shock, fear or pain. Zoe's eyes scanned the room, but she knew immediately that Jade wasn't there. Instead she looked for and spotted the woman she usually dropped Jade off to in the morning and made a beeline for her. "Jade-"

"Thank god you're here, Dr Hanna. I think Mikey here might have broken his arm. The paramedics have triaged the others, and taken the injured, but Mikey here didn't tell anyone he was in pain."

"Is anyone still trapped?"

Lisa replied with a nod, tears in her eyes though she was desperately trying to keep a bright face on for the scared children. "The owner and 2 more children. All the p-parents have been called to pick up their kids, but I didn't want to make them wait outside because some of them might wander off. Do you think I've done the right thing? I didn't know what to do..."

Zoe didn't reply, too overwhelmed by the fact that Jade was nowhere in sight. She was about to run outside in order to the search the area for her little girl but the nursery nurse called her name once more, gesturing to the little boy. Zoe dropped to her knees and began to treat the three year old, packing him off in the ambulance with a passing paramedic.

"How many more casualties?" Iain asked as he pulled Zoe outside towards the building collapse.

"Three" Zoe mumbled, her stomach churning as she looked at the scene in front of her. There was every chance that Jade was trapped inside, scared, alone and hurt. When Iain tugged on her arm to ask whether she thought it was safe to to inside Zoe gave a shudder, almost sure she was going to be sick.

"Stand back" A fireman called as another piece of rubble flew from the building. "It's not safe for entry" he informed them as they took shelter further from the building.

"But-" Zoe began to protest, her eyes wide. Iain shook his head.

"It's not safe" he repeated standing in front of Zoe who went to lunge towards the building.

Back at the hospital, Robyn hung up the phone with a sigh. "She's still not answering. I could try Iain?" She asked her boss, but Connie shook her head, sure that Zoe had at least been told Jade was not there by now.

"We'll have to manage. Can you keep an eye on cubicles and make sure everything is going smoothly, please?"

Robyn nodded, proud to have been asked.

* * *

"Take for Mummy?" Jade asked her father, pointing at the remains of her chocolate dessert.

"You think your mummy would like your half eaten and crumbled dessert?" Greta questioned with a frown.

Gesturing to the waiter, Max gave his mother a smile. "Probably. I should be getting back, I only got a couple of hours off, and I need to take this one in."

"I can take her back, if you like?" Greta asked hopefully, thinking that perhaps she'd take Jade shopping instead and buy her some proper clothes.

Jade had insisted she needed to sit on Max's knee during lunch, and when she heard her grandmother suggest this, Max felt her tense. Smiling to himself, he shook his head. "Thanks, but she's a bit clingy at the moment, so it will be easier if I just take her.

* * *

As the firefighters began securing the collapsed ceiling, Zoe was almost sure she could hear Jade calling for her, and she was desperate to get to her daughter, but Iain was currently holding her in vice grip. He'd realised moments earlier that Zoe and Max's daughter went to this creche, and he also knew he hadn't seen the girl amongst the children milling around.

"Why don't we go back to the hospital? There are other crews and another doctor here...look, Dylan is just arriving, and he will take good care of whoever is in there." Iain tried to reassure her.

"No, I need to find Jade" Zoe replied through gritted teeth, desperate to shake free of Iain's grip.

"Dylan mate!" Iain called, loosening his grip on Zoe in order to flag down her trusted friend in hope that he'd be able to talk some sense into her. "Zoe is worried about Jade" Iain called across the grass as Dylan walked towards them, a frown on his lips. Zoe used this moment to sprint towards the building.

"Jade? I've just seen Jade and Max" Dylan replied, bewildered. He didn't see Zoe run forward and Iain was so confused by Dylan's admission that he had just seen both Jade and Max that he wasn't quick enough to stop Zoe. They both gave chase in attempt to stop her before she reached the building and it was a brave Iain who jumped to shield her from a falling piece of rubble that she'd failed to notice.

"Mummy!" Came a shrill cry when Zoe dropped to the ground, Iain attempting to cover her. Dylan turned to see both Max and Jade stood only a short walk away. Expecting Zoe to move he attempted to give Max an encouraging smile but when she didn't, he rushed towards her.

"What's happened?" He asked, crouching beside as Dylan checked her vital signs. She had a bleeding head wound and Jade gave a shrill cry.

"I think she was caught by falling rubble. We hit the ground with force. She's got a regular pulse and resps of 16. Unconscious but stable" Iain reeled off, calling to his crew for back up. Dylan began a neurological assessment desperately hoping she would become responsive soon. It took all of Max's strength to stand back, holding a distraught Jade in his arms.

Unable to concentrate with Jade screaming in the background, Dylan turned to tell Max to go, but when he saw the look on his face, the words died on his lips. When he turned back to Zoe, her eyelids were beginning to flicker, and though he wasn't a religious man, at that moment Dylan thanked god silently.

"It's okay, sweetheart. Mummy is okay. Sh," Max tried to calm Jade, rocking her gently as he used to do when she was smaller.

"Mummy!" Jade still screamed, wriggling desperately to try and get to her mother.

"Jade," Zoe mumbled, trying to force herself to wake up properly.

"Jade's fine, she's with Max. Just stay still, you've had a bump to the head and we need to put the neck brace on," Dylan tried to reassure Zoe.

"What happened?" Zoe mumbled, her head already beginning to throb. "Jade?"

"Jade is fine. She's with Max." Dylan repeated, though he had to tell her this several times while the neck brace was put on and she was finally moved.

They arrived at the hospital a short while later with Max and a distressed Jade traveling with her in the ambulance.

"What do we have?" Connie asked as she fell into step with the paramedics. She frowned as she saw Max and Jade and her frown only grew when she saw a disorientated Zoe on the hospital bed.

"This is Zoe Hanna, 41. She received a blow to the head from a falling piece of rubble at the building collapse. She we unconscious for 7 minutes and is now responsive to voice" Iain continued to reel off her vital signs as they arrived in resus.

"What was she doing at the scene?" Connie asked as she began her primary survey. Max gave a shrug, trying to calm Jade who was still whimpering into his shoulder.

"Looking for Jade. She thought she was in daycare" Iain explained before giving Max a pat on the back before heading outside again to the ambulance.

"I thought she knew you'd taken Jade. I knew for goodness sake!" Connie replied as she began to assess Zoe's head wound. As she touched it Zoe gave a whimper and her heavy eyes began to flutter open once more.

"Jade?" She asked, her voice hoarse.

"She's here" Max replied softly, reaching out for Zoe's hand. "And I am too" he added, squeezing her hand.

Zoe gave a mumbled response, but gripped tightly to Max's hand. As Jade began to cry again, Connie turned to him. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"I can't." max responded, keeping tight hold on Zoe's hand as Jade struggled in his other arm.

"She knows Jade is okay, and this is just upsetting both of them now. Please. I'll take good care of her."

Max sighed, looking down at Zoe for a moment before he bent down to kiss her cheek. "I'll be right outside, okay? Jade is fine, so we just need to look after her mummy now."

* * *

Max was relived to see Connie leave resus just over an hour later. He'd managed to entertain Jade with some toys they'd found upstairs on the children's ward but she was happy once again just to settle into her father's embrace.

"Max" Connie greeted, offering him a smile. "We've run a CT and there's no bruising or swelling on the brain. I've stitched the wound and given some fluids and she is feeling much better" she told her colleague with a smile. "She's desperate to see Jade though!"

"Can we go in and see her?" Max asked eagerly.

"Of course!" Connie smiled, standing aside to let them pass. "Call me if either of you need anything, okay?" Max gave a nod and a grateful smile before heading into resus.

"Mummy!" Jade squealed, a grin on her lips as she saw her mother sitting up in bed looking much better than she did an hour previously.

"Jade" Zoe smiled, the exhaustion evident in her voice. She opened her arms and let Max place Jade on her lap, hugging her close. "I was so worried about you" Zoe told her daughter honestly. "I'm so glad you're safe"

"We were pretty worried about you too, weren't we Jadey?" Max replied, bending down to kiss his wife's head, careful of the newly stitched wound.

"No need to worry about me" Zoe teased. "Just another day at the ED" she added with a soft giggle.

"I'd told you so many times that we had lunch on today, Zo," Max sighed, brushing hair from her face.

"I know. I forgot," She replied with an apologetic grin.

"I got you cake!" Jade suddenly remembered, turning to her face hopefully.

"I think we will have the cake a bit later, I think your mummy needs a proper rest, first," Max told his daughter who agreed reluctantly, lying down and nestling into her mother's side.

"Jade sleep," She informed her parents, her eyelids shutting promptly.

"Sorry," Zoe apologised to Max after a few minutes of gazing at her daughter. "I did just forget. Honestly. I wasn't trying to avoid Greta."

"Well I think you were, but it doesn't matter now, it's all over with, and we're all safe and well, so I think we need to go home and spend a few quality days together while you recover."

Zoe groaned, "Max, you know I hate taking time off."

"Tough." Max responded.

"...Well, I suppose there is cake, so I guess there's always silver linings."


End file.
